Tinubu appoints board members for Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO)

Innocent RaphaelMarch 19, 2025

1 minute read

Members National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security ; Harrison Nwadike ; Mr. Akiba Bassy ; Chike John Okafor and Vice President Kashim Shettima during a Visit to the Vice President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday (19/03/2025).

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of executive and non-executive board members for the newly established Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), a key institution in the country’s power sector reform.

Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade has been appointed as Chairman of the Board, while Engineer Abdu Mohammed Bello will serve as Managing Director of NISO.

The appointments align with the implementation of the Electricity Act of 2023, which mandates the unbundling of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In addition, Tinubu appointed four Executive Directors to oversee NISO’s core operations:

Engineer Nafisatu Asabe Ali – Systems Operation
Engineer Shehu Abba-Aliyu – Systems Planning
Dr. Edmund Eje – Market Operations
Mr. Babajide Ibironke – Finance and Corporate Services

The Non-Executive Directors appointed include:

Engineer Lamu Audu – Representing Generation
Mrs. Folake Soetan – Representing Distribution
Mr. Tajudeen Giwa-Osagie – Market Expert
Engineer Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz – Representing Transmission
Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman – Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power

The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) will oversee the final stages of the recruitment process. The appointments followed a detailed selection process conducted by the Independent Board Nomination Committee (IBNC) in collaboration with Phillips Consulting Limited.

The establishment of NISO represents a significant step in Nigeria’s power sector reforms. Under the Electricity Act 2023, NISO was created to operate independently of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which has now been split into a Transmission System Provider (TSP) and an Independent System Operator (ISO).

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) formally established NISO on April 30, 2024. Its ownership structure is evenly split between the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), both holding equal equity shares.