The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, has called for the harmonisation of regulatory and operational activities in the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM) to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and accelerate efforts to improve electricity supply across the country.
Speaking at a workshop held in Abuja on July 14, 2026, the minister said greater coordination between federal and state institutions is essential to achieving the shared objective of expanding access to reliable electricity, which he described as the foundation of national development.
The workshop, themed “Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonisation between Federal and State Institutions on the Decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI),” brought together key stakeholders to discuss the evolving structure of Nigeria’s electricity market.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Musiliu Oseni, stressed the need for stronger cooperation among regulators and policymakers as the country transitions to a multi-tier electricity market.
According to Oseni, Nigerians are more concerned about having stable and uninterrupted electricity than about which institution is responsible for regulation or policymaking.
“Nigerians do not really care about who regulates what or who is responsible for policymaking, but they strongly care about the availability and reliability of supply,” he said.
“It does not matter to them whether it is the federal or state government driving the sector, but who actually meets their electricity supply needs. We must therefore put aside ego and personal interests, embrace dialogue and work together to meet the expectations of Nigerians.”
The NERC chairman called for the establishment of a strategic platform for continuous policy and regulatory engagement, recommending more frequent meetings between the Federal Ministry of Power and state commissioners responsible for power.
He suggested that the existing National Council on Power (NACOP) be restructured to facilitate more focused and regular policy discussions rather than relying on its traditional annual meetings.
According to him, such engagements would improve policy coordination, strengthen regulatory alignment and provide regular opportunities for federal and state governments to address emerging challenges in the power sector during the ongoing decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
The workshop underscored the growing importance of collaboration between federal and state institutions following recent reforms that have expanded the role of states in electricity regulation and market development.
Both the minister and the NERC chairman expressed optimism that sustained dialogue and harmonised regulatory frameworks would enhance service delivery and improve electricity access for Nigerians.
