In order to expedite the integration of power generation companies into Nigeria’s new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Energy Management System (SCADA/EMS), Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL), the operator of the Kainji Hydro Power Plant, Jebba Hydro Power Plant, and Zungeru Hydro Power Plant, has initiated a sector-wide technical training programme.
The programme is intended to facilitate adherence to Order No. NERC/2024/057 of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, which mandates that all grid-connected generating units be integrated into the national SCADA/EMS platform.
Additionally, the programme is in line with the Nigerian Independent System Operator’s (NISO) June 2025 directive, which highlighted the critical need for automated despatch coordination and real-time visibility throughout Nigeria’s electrical grid.
Engineer A. B. Mohammed, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NISO, emphasised during the training session at the Mainstream Academy in Kainji that integrating generating units into the national SCADA system is now an essential operational requirement rather than a choice.
He claims that because the power industry is growing more dynamic, secure system management and grid stability depend on precise visibility of generation assets and quick operational response.
He clarified that programmes like the MESL-led training programme are essential because they help generation companies develop the technical capacity required to meet regulatory requirements while also enhancing the national grid’s resilience and dependability.
The Mainstream Academy, MESL’s specialised learning and innovation centre for professionals in the power sector, is conducting the training programme. The academy is strengthening sector-wide knowledge and implementation capabilities by utilising the company’s technical infrastructure and operational expertise.
The program’s participants underwent extensive training in critical areas such as operational communication systems, cybersecurity protocols, SCADA system architecture, Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) configuration, and real-time data exchange with the National Control Centre.
The programme was created in direct response to recent regulatory directives requiring all grid-connected generation companies to fully integrate into the national SCADA and EMS systems, according to Usman Muhammad Umar, the academy’s founder and Executive Director of Corporate Services at MESL.
He pointed out that the goal of the regulatory push is to improve overall national grid management, strengthen operational coordination, and increase grid visibility.
Umar claims that by providing operators with the technical know-how, systems expertise, and operational preparedness needed for complete SCADA integration, MESL aims to support the larger power generation industry in addition to ensuring its own compliance.
“The initiative is part of efforts to support the development of a smarter, more resilient, and more dependable national electricity grid capable of meeting Nigeria’s growing industrial and economic aspirations,” he continued.
Engineer Mohammed urged all generation companies that have not yet attained complete SCADA integration compliance to act right away in his closing remarks. He underlined that maintaining compliance is essential to establishing a coordinated, stable, and effective electrical system and serves the interests of the Nigerian power sector as a whole.
He went on to say that operators’ willingness to comply with contemporary operational standards necessary for efficient grid management and the stability of the national system is crucial to the advancement of the power industry.
The head of NISO also reiterated the organization’s dedication to backing programmes that strengthen grid reliability, improve operational discipline, and improve Nigeria’s power infrastructure’s long-term stability.
He claims that in order to create a more robust and reliable electrical grid that can support the growth and development of the country, regulators, generating companies, and technical stakeholders must continue to work together.
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