NERC Orders Registration of Private Substations Connected to Nigeria’s Power Grid
- The NERC has issued a new order regulating private transmission substations connected to the national grid
- The directive requires operators to obtain an Independent Electricity Transmission Network Operator permit
- The Nigerian Independent System Operator will install IoT-based metering systems and conduct inspections
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has introduced a new directive requiring owners of privately operated transmission substations connected to Nigeria’s national grid to formally register and obtain regulatory approval.
Source: UGC
The directive, which was published by the commission on Wednesday, March 11, was titled: Order on the Registration and Authorisation of Grid-Connected Private Transmission Substations (NERC/2026/013).
New directive for effective oversight of substations
According to the commission, the directive took effect on March 9, 2026. It is aimed at strengthening oversight of privately owned substations that supply electricity directly to large power consumers.
NERC explained that the order creates a regulatory framework mandating owners of such facilities to obtain an Independent Electricity Transmission Network Operator (IETNO) permit before operating or linking their infrastructure to the national grid.
The regulator said the policy was introduced in response to operational concerns within the power network.
NISO reports recurring line trips
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) had earlier reported recurring transmission line trips associated with some of the privately operated substations.
To implement the directive, NERC directed NISO to compile and submit a comprehensive list of all existing private transmission substation owners across the country.
The system operator is also expected to formally notify these operators of the new requirements within five days.
Under the new framework, companies currently operating such substations must apply to the commission for the required IETNO permit within 45 days.
New substation users must seek approval
For new projects, NERC stated that operators must secure the permit before connecting their facilities to the grid, warning that failure to comply could attract regulatory sanctions.
The order also introduces additional operational requirements for operators. NISO is expected to install Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled metering systems at substation interconnection points within 120 days to improve monitoring and data visibility across the network.
“Operators must submit monthly operational reports, while NISO will conduct inspections to ensure compliance,” the commission added.
NERC said the measures are intended to improve electricity grid stability, strengthen regulatory oversight, and ensure compliance with the national Grid Code governing Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.
Source: Getty Images
FG mentions free prepaid meters shared
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government disclosed that only about 200,000 smart electricity meters under the $500 million World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) had been shared with Nigerians.
This is in spite of the delivery of hundreds of thousands of meters into the country. The government blamed DisCos for the slow installation of prepaid meters for Nigerians.
The government disclosed the number of smart meters installed under the DISREP programme so far. The DISREP programme aims to install 3.2 million meters over four years at no cost to consumers.
Source: Legit.ng
