The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has called for stronger collaboration between national and state electricity regulators as Nigeria deepens the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023 and transitions to a decentralized electricity market.
Tegbe made the call on Tuesday during a high-level stakeholder engagement convened by the Federal Ministry of Power to address emerging issues in the implementation of the Act and advance the resolution of the brewing impasse between the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).
The meeting brought together representatives of the National Assembly, the Special Adviser to the President on Power, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, heads of federal power sector agencies, state commissioners for energy, and state electricity regulators.
The stakeholders deliberated on critical issues affecting the evolving electricity market, including regulatory overlaps, electricity tariffs, capacity development, and the need for greater alignment between federal and state institutions.
Describing the ongoing transition as one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s power sector in decades, Tegbe stressed that the success of the new multi-market electricity framework would depend on cooperation rather than competition among regulatory institutions.
He reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Power’s commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to promote regulatory certainty, attract investment, and improve electricity supply across the country.
A key outcome of the engagement was the decision by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, to defer the ongoing legislative process to amend the Electricity Act, 2023.
According to him, the postponement would allow for wider consultations and consensus-building among stakeholders, noting that sustainable reforms require continuous engagement across all levels of government and the electricity value chain.
Stakeholders at the meeting also pledged to strengthen collaboration in support of the successful implementation of the electricity sector reforms in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
To sustain the engagement process, Tegbe announced the establishment of a nine-member inter-agency committee, which he will chair. The committee will comprise representatives of NERC, State Electricity Regulatory
Commissions, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and other key stakeholders.
The committee has been given four weeks to identify and resolve implementation challenges and recommend practical measures for the seamless operationalisation of the Electricity Act, 2023.
The minister acknowledged that challenges were inevitable in implementing the reforms but maintained that they must be resolved collectively without compromising regulatory standards, service quality, or consumer protection.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to building a modern, reliable, and investor-friendly electricity market through sustained cooperation between federal and state institutions.
