(Vice President Kashim Shettima. Photo Credit: Real Broadcasting Network)
Vice President Kashim Shettima wants states’ electricity markets reviewed every year to check how the Electricity Act 2023 is being carried out.
He made the proposal on Wednesday through Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.
He also suggested a national stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja on the theme “Empowering the States: Reviewing the Electricity Act 2023.”
He called for a framework that brings together the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Power, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and state regulators.
He said yearly reviews would help spot problems and speed up investment.
States that have not yet set up electricity regulators should start the legal and institutional steps now.
He warned against creating regulators that exist only on paper.
Shettima said success should be judged by how much power is generated, how much investment comes in, how many jobs are created and how reliable supply becomes.
He also urged states to offer clear licensing rules, fair billing and effective ways to handle complaints.
Power Minister Joseph Tegbe said a regulator on paper does not make a working market.
He said states need competent staff, transparent licensing, proper tariff processes and enough funding.
He also warned that existing contracts and debts will not disappear when regulatory powers move from the federal level to the states.
Kwara Governor AbdulRazaq, chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, said any changes to the Act must protect states’ powers and avoid creating uncertainty that could scare off investors.
The NERC chairman, Musiliu Oseni, said 17 states have received transfer orders so they can take over regulation of their electricity markets.
He said the move brings regulation closer to consumers but needs careful management to keep the system fair and stable.
