By Joy Onu
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has handed over a temporary National Control Centre (NCC) to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), a move aimed at strengthening real-time management of Nigeria’s electricity grid while work continues on the country’s permanent control centre.
According to a press statement signed by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Thursday, the facility, located at the Gwagwalada 330kV Transmission Substation in Abuja, will function as NISO’s temporary operational base for managing the national electricity grid until the permanent National Control Centre is completed.
The handover, which took place on Tuesday, June 30, marks another milestone in the ongoing restructuring of Nigeria’s power sector, with the facility housing the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Energy Management System (SCADA/EMS) and telecommunications infrastructure required for real-time monitoring and coordination of the national grid.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the facility represents a strategic investment in improving grid operations and ensuring a more reliable electricity transmission network.
Represented by the General Manager, Project Coordination, Engr. Amini Tahir, Abdulaziz said the centre was originally developed to accommodate the newly installed SCADA/EMS and telecommunications systems, alongside operational personnel, before being designated as NISO’s temporary control centre.
He expressed confidence that placing the facility under NISO’s management would enhance operational efficiency, improve system reliability and support better electricity service delivery across the country.
The TCN boss also acknowledged the World Bank for supporting the project and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with stakeholders to strengthen the nation’s transmission infrastructure.
Receiving the facility on behalf of NISO, the organisation’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Abdu Mohammed Bello, represented by the General Manager, System Planning, Engr. Kabir Adamu, described the handover as a critical step in advancing the deployment of the SCADA/EMS project.
According to him, the temporary control centre provides the infrastructure needed for NISO to begin operating the SCADA/EMS system, a key technology for effective monitoring and management of the national electricity grid.
He assured that the organisation would effectively manage the facility and continue collaborating with TCN to improve the efficiency and stability of power transmission in Nigeria.
Also speaking, TCN Project Manager, Engr. Samuel Fakinlade, explained that the arrangement is temporary, noting that once the permanent National Control Centre in Gwagwalada is completed, all equipment and operational personnel will be relocated to the new complex, after which the building will revert to TCN.
The temporary National Control Centre is equipped with modern SCADA/EMS and telecommunications systems designed to support real-time grid monitoring, system coordination and faster operational response, providing a critical bridge until the permanent facility becomes operational.
