The Federal Government has begun construction of a new National Control Centre in Osogbo, Osun State, as part of efforts to modernise the management of Nigeria’s electricity grid.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Nigerian Independent System Operator facility was held on Wednesday, September 30, with Vice President Kashim Shettima represented by Bashir Maidugu, his Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Compliance Matters.

The new facility will replace the existing National Control Centre in Osogbo, which government officials said has been in service for 64 years and no longer meets the demands of managing the country’s increasingly complex electricity network.

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said the centre would provide NISO with modern systems for monitoring conditions across the national grid, balancing electricity supply and demand and coordinating responses when disturbances occur.

The facility is expected to include an integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, commonly known as SCADA, alongside large-format displays and improved analytics designed to give grid operators clearer and more timely information.

The project will also include a dedicated powerhouse for critical systems, a security and screening building, as well as underground electrical and fibre-optic infrastructure for power and communications.

According to the government, improved monitoring should help operators identify developing faults, support preventive maintenance and respond more quickly when problems occur on the electricity network.

Officials also expect the new centre to support the integration of renewable energy and strengthen Nigeria’s operational coordination within the West African Power Pool.

NISO Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abdu Bello Mohammed said improved telemetry, SCADA and metering systems would give the system operator better visibility of the national grid and support faster decisions during disturbances.

The centre in Osogbo performs a national function. It is used to coordinate electricity generation and transmission across Nigeria rather than serving only consumers in Osun State.

A 2025 Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission order reviewed by Verita Post had already listed the construction of a new National Control Centre in Osogbo among NISO's priority projects for the 2025 to 2027 period.

The regulatory document identified the Osogbo project separately from another proposed National Control Centre in Gwagwalada and listed tariff revenue and financing under the Power Sector Recovery Operation Additional Financing as funding sources for the Osogbo project.

NERC estimated the combined cost of the 10 NISO priority projects in the plan at ₦29.72 billion, but the order did not assign that entire amount to the Osogbo control centre. That distinction is important because no verified individual contract value for the Osogbo centre was identified in the documents and statements reviewed by Verita Post.

Tegbe said the centre should help reduce avoidable outages and improve electricity reliability, but he also acknowledged that the facility alone would not resolve Nigeria's electricity challenges.

He said adequate gas supply, properly maintained transmission equipment and functional distribution networks would remain necessary for improvements at grid level to translate into more dependable electricity for homes and businesses.

The groundbreaking marks the beginning of construction rather than completion of the project. The facility will still have to be built, equipped, tested and commissioned before it becomes operational.