BPE Promises Electricity Improvement In Nigeria With New Initiative

Director-general, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, has assured Nigerians of electricity supply improvement through its new initiative.

The initiative known as Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) will play an important role towards delivering a reliable and sustainable electricity sector that Nigerians rightfully deserve by assuming responsibility for grid management, system stability, power dispatch, and market operations.

The DG, who spoke during the formal inauguration of the board of the NISO Limited by the vice president, Kashim Shettima, noted that, NISO represents a pivotal landmark in Nigeria’s electricity industry reform journey.

The 11-member board, chaired by legal and financial expert, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, is tasked with overseeing the operational and market independence of NISO, which will now manage critical aspects of Nigeria’s electricity supply chain, including grid stability, system operations, power dispatch, and market coordination.

Other members of the board include Abdu Bello Mohammed (managing director), Nafisatu Asabe Ali (executive director, System Operation), Shehu Abba-Aliyu (executive director, System Planning), Dr. Edmund Eje (executive director, Market Operation), and Babajide Ibironke (executive director, Finance and Corporate Services).

Non-executive directors include: Lamu Audu, Folake Soetan, Tajudeen Giwa-Osagie, Mahmuda Mamman (permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Power), and Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz (MD/CEO, Transmission Company of Nigeria).

Speaking during the inauguration, Gbeleyi noted that, the inauguration of the board “serves as a crucial pillar in Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) by ensuring that the System Operator (SO) and Market Operator (MO) function independently and transparently, fostering, efficiency, as well as boosting investor confidence,” he stated.

Gbeleyi commended President Bola Tinubu and the vice president, for their unwavering commitment to the sustained reform of the power sector. He also commended the minister of Power for his undeniable passion towards the transformation of the power sector.

‘These efforts and the invaluable support of other critical stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Power, MOFI, NERC, TCN, generation and distribution companies, and private sector partners, for this historic transition are highly appreciated.

“To the newly appointed members of the NISO’s Board, I congratulate you on your eminently deserved appointments and urge you to serve with diligence, integrity, and a deep sense of responsibility.

“The success of NISO will no doubt play a crucial role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s power sector, and I am confident that with the right approach, focus and unflinching resolve, we will witness remarkable improvements in this regard,” he pointed out.