NISO Unveils Brand Identity, Pledges Neutrality in Power Grid Management

. Partners Huawei to digitise operations

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The newly created Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has unveiled its logo, mission, vision and core values to the public, promising to ensure neutrality in the management of the national electricity grid.

Speaking at the event in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Mohammed Bello, stated that every great institution defines itself clearly, boldly, and unapologetically, explaining that it was that moment for NISO.

NISO was established following the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023, which sought to unbundle the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into two distinct components, one for physical transmission infrastructure, and the other for system and market operations. NISO now assumes full responsibility for the latter.

Unlike the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which was a single company performing both transmission and system operations, NISO now functions as a separate, legally incorporated company with a mandate to ensure the smooth operation of Nigeria’s national electricity grid.

As an independent operator, Bello stated that NISO will manage Nigeria’s electricity grid with reliability, efficiency and transparency, enabling a sustainable and competitive power sector that drives economic growth and improves quality of life.

“It means we coordinate the grid without bias. We make market decisions without fear or favour. It means we plan for the future, not just respond to emergencies. It means we exist to serve all participants in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry… fairly, professionally and transparently,” the managing director said.

Speaking on the new brand identity, Bello noted that the logo represents energy flow, and balance as well as structure and motion and above all, it reflects control, the kind that a system operator must maintain over an increasingly complex power system.

“Let me be frank: becoming ‘world-class’ is not a slogan. It’s a commitment. It’s hard work. It requires systems that function, people that deliver, and decisions that hold up to scrutiny. But let me also be clear, we are capable of doing it. And with the leadership I see in this room today, I am confident we will get there.

“Already, the tone is changing. We are engaging stakeholders with a fresh posture. We are no longer an appendage, we are a principal actor and we now sit at the table with the authority of our mandate and the clarity of our purpose.

“We intend to deepen our participation globally, with partners like the West African Power Pool (WAPP), where we contribute not just as observers, but as allies in regional electricity planning.

“Our site engagements especially recently of the SCDA/EMS project and the level of completion with site inspections of Gwagwalada and Katampe substations reflect a management team that is not content with boardroom assumptions, we go and see for ourselves.

“We have commenced the digitisation and automation initiative, in partnership with global technology leaders Huawei. This will give us real-time system visibility, smart data analytics, and modern SCADA/EMS infrastructure. Let me put it simply: this is the kind of progress that turns institutions from reactive to proactive,” he explained.

He urged the staff to be ambassadors of the brand, upholding its values, defending its reputation, and demanding excellence across every layer of its operations.

In his intervention, the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services, Babajide Ibironke, explained that with the branding, NISO now represents a new era of transparency, efficiency, and sustainability in Nigeria’s electricity sector.

He expressed NISO’s commitment to building a trusted institution that goes beyond branding to becoming a source of pride for stakeholders, with a clear focus on professionalism and accountability.

He said: “Our mission is to manage Nigeria’s electricity grid with reliability, efficiency, and transparency, enabling a sustainable and complete power sector that drives economic growth and improves quality of life.

“Our vision is to establish an electricity market that empowers economic growth and sustainable energy for national development.”