Nigeria yesterday rationed 3,053 megawatts (MW) of electricity across the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) as the Federal Government intensified efforts to improve power supply and pursue 24-hour electricity in selected high-demand areas.

As of 6:24 p.m. yesterday, the total load allocation across 11 monitored DisCos stood at 3,053MW, according to data sourced from niggrid.org.

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) received the highest allocation of 598MW, followed by Ikeja Disco with 389MW and Eko Disco with 386MW.

Ibadan Disco was allocated 369MW, while Port Harcourt Disco received 302MW. Benin Disco had 250MW, while Enugu Disco received 239MW.

Kano Disco received 160MW, Kaduna Disco 155MW and Jos Disco 136MW, while Yola Disco had the lowest allocation at 69MW.

The development came as the Federal Government advanced plans to establish energy zones aimed at delivering stable 24-hour electricity to homes, businesses and industries in areas with high electricity demand.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this after a strategic closed-door meeting with the leadership of selected DisCos on the proposed energy zones.

He said the proposed energy zones were designed to close the gap, unlock commercial and industrial demand and strengthen the revenue and collection performance of DisCos.

MEANWHILE, the Federal Government has begun the construction of a new National Control Centre for the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) in Osogbo, Osun State, replacing the 64-year-old facility currently used to coordinate operations on the national electricity grid.

The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Senior Special Assistant (Legal), Office of the Vice President, with the support of the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.

The Vice President said reliable electricity remained central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing power as the foundation of an economy that works.

He said reliable electricity enables manufacturers to plan production, small businesses to operate with confidence and hospitals and schools to function, while creating jobs and wider economic opportunities.

According to him, the National Control Centre is where the reliability of the electricity system is protected, stressing that Nigeria could not run a modern and interconnected grid with outdated infrastructure.

Tegbe, while giving an overview of the project, said the new facility would give NISO greater visibility of activities across the national grid and enable it to respond promptly to system disturbances.

He described the project as a concrete expression of the President’s determination to address underlying weaknesses in electricity supply.

Tegbe said the Centre would integrate Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), large-format displays and analytics to enable operators to identify developing faults, plan preventive maintenance, among others.

NISO’s Managing Director/CEO, Abdu Bello Mohammed, said the facility would improve the operator’s visibility of the national grid, sharpen coordination and support faster, better-informed responses to system disturbances.