Operators in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry have been told to avoid actions that could threaten the decentralisation of the electricity market.
The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe,
Made it loud and clear at the workshop on Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonisation between federal and state institutions on the Decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), in Abuja.
He said the Federal Government retains an important leadership role, while state governments now have expanded responsibilities; the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)continues to regulate areas within its jurisdiction; and state regulators are emerging to supervise their respective markets.
He further stated that transmission remains a national asset; distribution companies continue to serve millions of customers; generation companies continue to supply energy into the grid; private investors provide capital; development partners provide technical support; while consumers remain at the heart of every decision.
Noting that that none of these institutions exists in isolation, he said: “Our success is interconnected. This is why collaboration must become the defining principle of our decentralised electricity market. We must ensure collaboration rather than competition between institutions. We must build alignment instead of regulatory conflict. We must practice mutual respect instead of jurisdictional rivalry.”
He said the Electricity Act did not establish parallel electricity industries, but complementary electricity markets, operating within one national framework.
“Our objective must therefore be regulatory coherence. Investors should not encounter conflicting rules. Developers should not navigate contradictory approval processes. Consumers should not become casualties of institutional uncertainty. Market participants should enjoy clarity, predictability and confidence wherever they choose to invest,” he stated.
