The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to power-generating companies (GenCos), threatening to disconnect any non-compliant operators from the national grid if they fail to implement the Free Governor Control (FGC) mechanism across their generating units.
The directive, contained in Order No. NERC/2025/094, was signed on August 26, 2025, by the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Musiliu Oseni, and the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing & Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye. It takes effect from September 1, 2025.
Free Governor Control is a critical control system in power generation that allows a turbine or generator to automatically adjust its output in response to fluctuations in grid frequency. By doing so, it ensures greater stability of the national grid, helping to prevent system collapses that have plagued Nigeria’s electricity supply in the past.
NERC emphasized that any GenCo failing to integrate and activate FGC across all units by November 30, 2025, will face sanctions, including a prorated penalty of 10 percent of the invoice for the defaulting generating unit. Furthermore, any generating unit that records 90 consecutive days of non-compliance will be disconnected entirely from the national grid.
The commission explained that the order is designed to enforce strict adherence to the Grid Code, establish transparent monitoring mechanisms, and provide a structured framework to enhance generation reliability and grid stability.
Citing its mandate under the Electricity Act 2023, NERC noted that section 34(1)(e) empowers it to ensure the safety, reliability, and quality of electricity services, while section 34(2)(b) authorizes it to establish or approve operational codes and standards to safeguard the electricity network.
The regulator also reminded operators of section 12.6.2 of the Grid Code, which requires all generating units to be fitted with fast-acting governors capable of regulating turbine speed and adjusting power output to maintain system frequency within safe limits.
With this directive, the Federal Government has signaled its determination to tighten oversight of the electricity sector, prioritizing stability and reliability in the delivery of power to millions of Nigerian consumers.