The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced that it has transferred oversight of electricity market regulation to 16 states, marking a major step in the decentralisation of Nigeria’s power sector.
NERC Chairman, Dr. Musiliu Oseni, disclosed the development during a regional seminar for judges of the Lagos State High Court held in Lagos on Monday. He said the move reflects ongoing reforms aimed at creating a multi-level regulatory framework that allows states to take greater responsibility for electricity market governance within their jurisdictions.
Oseni explained that the transition is designed to improve stakeholders’ understanding of the electricity industry while supporting the country’s broader efforts to strengthen the power sector. He noted that the judiciary plays an important role in the success of the reforms and said the commission was committed to engaging judges on the legal and technical issues shaping the industry.
The seminar, themed “Nigeria’s Electricity Market in Transition: Law, Regulation and the Courts,” brought together judicial officers and industry stakeholders to discuss the changing regulatory landscape.
Representing the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, the Administrative Judge of the Lagos Judicial Division, Justice Atinuke Ipaye, urged participants to make the most of the sessions by interacting with experts and gaining a better understanding of developments in the electricity market.
Presentations at the event covered key aspects of the ongoing reforms. NERC Commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, spoke on the legal and regulatory implications of transitioning to a decentralised electricity sector, while NERC Vice Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Ali, examined tariff regulation under the emerging market structure.
The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), represented by the state’s Solicitor-General, Hameed Oyenuga, commended NERC for organising the seminar. He said the engagement would help equip judges with the knowledge required to deliver decisions that support the implementation of power sector reforms.
The seminar is the first in a series of regional engagements planned by NERC to improve judicial understanding of the legal and regulatory framework guiding Nigeria’s evolving electricity market.
