The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has launched an intensified campaign of monitoring, testing and inspection across Nigeria’s electricity sector to enhance the safety, stability and reliability of power supply.
In a statement released by the agency’s Head of Communications & Protocol, Ama Umoren, NEMSA announced that its officials recently carried out technical inspections of the Afikpo 33 kV feeder and the Nibo Injection Substation in Ebonyi State, where 31 critical defects were detected and reported for urgent correction.
As a direct result, NEMSA has directed the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to immediately address all identified deficiencies to forestall risks to lives and property.
Key issues flagged by the inspectorate included right-of-way violations, vegetation encroachment, broken cross-arms, aged and weak 33 kV overhead conductors with multiple joints, and overhead lines passing over residential and commercial properties.
Under the mandate of the Electricity Act 2023, NEMSA is charged with enforcing compliance with safety standards for construction, operation and maintenance of power plants, transmission systems, distribution networks and electrical installations.
“In line with this mandate, NEMSA has given EEDC four weeks to rectify all identified defects at the Afikpo Injection Substation and other associated networks within the state,” the statement read.
In addition to these inspections, NEMSA’s engineers completed transformer testing and inspections in Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto States, ensuring installations meet NEMSA’s technical regulations before commissioning.
Meanwhile, the National Meter Test Station (NMTS) in Port Harcourt completed its bi-annual verification and calibration of meter-testing equipment, a critical process to maintain precision and integrity of instruments used across Nigeria’s electricity supply industry (NESI). The agency emphasised that similar calibration exercises are underway in other centres to ensure accurate electricity billing and boost consumer confidence.
Signalling a forward-looking approach, NEMSA, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) under the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), convened a high-level stakeholder consultation in Abuja to review draft guidelines for interconnecting solar mini-grids to distribution networks. The forum included major actors across the value chain, from the Federal Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), distribution companies, solar developers and rural electrification agencies.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Mahmuda Mamman, commended NEMSA, GIZ and partners for organising a “timely and forward-looking dialogue.” He emphasised that achieving universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity is a national imperative, citing the goal of attaining 30 per cent renewable energy contribution to Nigeria’s electricity mix by 2030 under the Energy Transition Plan.
NEMSA’s Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Aliyu Tukur Tahir, reiterated the agency’s unwavering commitment to safety, technical excellence and innovation. He noted that as solar mini-grids expand in rural and peri-urban communities, their structured integration with the main grid must adhere to the highest safety and technical standards. “Our objective is to provide a framework that enhances access, protects investments, and guarantees safety across the electricity value chain. The guidelines we are reviewing today will serve as a roadmap for safe, seamless, and sustainable grid integration,” he said.
By reducing system failures and improving reliability, NEMSA’s enhanced supervision helps lower costs of power outages for businesses and households, stimulating productivity and investment. Improved grid safety and integration of renewable mini-grids also reduce wasted capacity and can unlock foreign capital for infrastructure, strengthening Nigeria’s economic growth outlook.
