Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, successfully convened a robust stakeholder engagement that brought together federal and state institutions, legislators, regulators, and other key actors across the electricity value chain to strengthen coordination on the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023.
The workshop on Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonization between Federal and State Institutions on the Decentralization of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, was held in Abuja.
A key outcome of the workshop was the establishment of a nine-member inter-agency committee. The Minister is the Chairman of the power sector inter-agency committee, with the objective of driving sustained engagement, resolving emerging implementation issues, and supporting the seamless operationalization of the Electricity Act, 2023.
The committee has a four-week duration to review issues raised at the meeting. The members will work with other stakeholders and share a resolution within the time frame.
The Minister, in his address at the workshop, said Nigeria’s transition to a decentralized electricity market is one of the most significant reforms in the power sector in decades. Its success will depend not on institutional competition, but on collaboration, regulatory certainty, and our shared commitment to delivering better outcomes for Nigerians.
Speaking on the need to make the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry succeed, the Minister stated: “Electricity remains the single most important enabler of economic growth, industrialization, job creation, digital transformation and improved quality of life. Every sector of our economy depends upon it – Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining, Financial Services, Telecommunications and Information Technology, to mention but a few.
“Indeed, every national aspiration under the Renewed Hope Agenda rests upon the availability of reliable electricity. The responsibility before us, therefore, extends beyond institutional mandates.”
He stated further: “It is a national obligation. The decentralization of the electricity market should not be viewed as fragmentation. It should rather be understood as the intelligent distribution of responsibilities within one integrated national electricity ecosystem.
“I am encouraged by the constructive engagement of all stakeholders, including the decision to deepen consultations as we continue to strengthen the implementation framework. Together, we are laying the foundation for a modern, reliable, and investor-friendly electricity market that delivers improved service, attracts investment, and powers Nigeria’s economic growth.”
