Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, to ensure the success of the country’s ongoing electricity sector reforms.
The Minister made the call at a high-level workshop on Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonisation between Federal and State Institutions on the Decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, held in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Power in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.
Commending NERC for convening the workshop at short notice, Chief Tegbe described the engagement as a timely platform for resolving critical issues and advancing the delivery of reliable electricity to Nigerians.
According to him, federal and state institutions must work in harmony rather than in isolation to improve electricity supply across the country.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, Rilwan Lanre Babalola, urged participants to embrace the transition as partners working towards one Nigerian electricity market, rather than institutions protecting separate jurisdictions.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to working with stakeholders to ensure that amendments to the Electricity Act provide regulatory clarity, attract investment, strengthen cooperation between regulators, and ultimately guarantee reliable electricity supply for Nigerians.
In his remarks, the Chairman of NERC, Dr. Musiliu Oseni, noted that Nigerians are less concerned about which institution regulates the sector or formulates policy, and are more interested in having reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply.
Dr. Oseni therefore urged all actors within the emerging multi-tier electricity market to sustain dialogue, strengthen cooperation and remain focused on delivering improved outcomes for electricity consumers.
He said: “It is on this basis I wish to urge all actors in the room to reflect, drop our ego and personal interests, embrace dialogue and let us all work together to meet the yearnings of Nigerians.
“We must create a strategic platform where regulatory and policy dialogues on the issues relating to the power sector take place. The honourable minister may wish to institute periodic policy meetings with policy commissioners from the states.”
The workshop also featured technical presentations and interactive sessions, including a presentation by NERC Commissioner for Legal, Licencing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, titled “Transition to a Multi-tier Electricity Market: The Journey So Far.”
Remarks by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat on the decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
A presentation by the Forum of Commissioners for Power and Energy in Nigeria, FOCPEN, on the delineation of federal and state regulatory oversight within the electricity sector.
Discussions by representatives of State Electricity Regulatory Commissions on the development of subnational electricity markets.
The workshop concluded with a harmonization session coordinated by the Minister of Power, during which participants identified key concerns, proposed practical solutions, and agreed on action points to strengthen coordination between federal and state institutions in the evolving Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
