ABUJA — The Federal Government and the National Assembly have renewed their push for a unified and efficient electricity market, backing stronger collaboration between federal and state regulators as Nigeria transitions to a decentralised power sector.
At a high-level workshop in Abuja on legal, policy and regulatory harmonisation in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), top government officials stressed that coordination—not competition—must define the relationship between regulators in the evolving multi-tier electricity market.
Special Adviser to the President on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, Mr Rilwan Lanre Babalola, said electricity remains central to Nigeria’s economic growth and industrial ambitions.
“Electricity is the foundation for industrialisation, economic competitiveness, job creation and national prosperity,” Babalola stated.
He urged stakeholders to approach the transition as partners working towards a single national electricity market, warning against fragmented regulatory approaches.
“Every major reform creates new opportunities… Our responsibility is to ensure that these questions are resolved through dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect,” he said.
Babalola emphasised that while the Electricity Act decentralises governance, it does not change the interconnected nature of the power system.
“Our networks remain interconnected. Our markets remain interdependent. Our prosperity remains shared. That is why harmonisation is not optional. It is fundamental to preserving one efficient Nigerian electricity market,” he added.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to creating laws that support synergy between regulators.
“The success of decentralisation should not be measured merely by the number of states that establish electricity markets… but by whether Nigeria achieves a coherent, efficient, bankable and integrated electricity market,” Abaribe said.
He stressed the need for harmonised rules governing the relationship between the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).
Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, and NERC Chairman, Dr Musiliu Oseni, also underscored the urgency of aligning regulatory and operational activities to ensure a seamless electricity market nationwide.
Analysts say the renewed commitment signals a critical step toward stabilising Nigeria’s power sector, improving investor confidence and ensuring reliable electricity supply under the decentralised framework.
The workshop focused on aligning federal and state policies to support the ongoing restructuring of the electricity market following the implementation of the Electricity Act.
