Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to accelerate the implementation of Nigeria’s electricity market reforms with the inauguration of a nine-member inter-agency committee to address emerging challenges arising from the decentralisation of the power sector.
The committee, chaired by the Minister of Power Olasunkanmi Tegbe, was constituted following a stakeholders’ workshop on the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023, and is expected to drive sustained collaboration among key institutions, resolve implementation issues and ensure the seamless operationalisation of the country’s evolving electricity market.
According to a statement issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the committee has been given four weeks to engage relevant stakeholders, review concerns raised during the workshop and recommend practical solutions to strengthen the implementation of the Electricity Act.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Power described Nigeria’s transition to a decentralised electricity market as one of the most significant reforms in the nation’s power sector in decades, stressing that its success would depend on collaboration, regulatory certainty and a shared commitment to improving electricity supply for Nigerians.
He emphasised that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) must succeed because electricity remains the backbone of economic growth, industrialisation, job creation, digital transformation and improved living standards.
According to the minister, every major sector of the economy including manufacturing, agriculture, mining, financial services, telecommunications and information technology depends on reliable electricity to thrive.
He added that the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda is closely tied to the availability of stable power, describing the implementation of the Electricity Act as a national responsibility that goes beyond the mandates of individual institutions.
The minister also clarified that the decentralisation of the electricity market should not be seen as fragmentation of the sector but as a strategic redistribution of responsibilities within a unified national electricity ecosystem designed to improve efficiency, service delivery and investment.
He welcomed the commitment of stakeholders to deepen consultations and strengthen cooperation, expressing confidence that the ongoing reforms would create a modern, reliable and investor-friendly electricity market capable of attracting investment and powering Nigeria’s economic development.
The inter-agency committee is expected to submit its recommendations within four weeks, providing a roadmap for resolving implementation challenges and sustaining the momentum of Nigeria’s power sector reforms.