By Chesa Chesa
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged state governments to end their reliance on the Federal Government for electricity solutions and take control of their power markets by attracting private investment and establishing functional regulatory institutions.
Shettima said Nigeria’s ambition to build a competitive industrial economy would remain constrained unless electricity reforms translated into reliable power supply for businesses, households and public institutions.
He spoke on Wednesday while declaring open the National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice-President said the Electricity Act had created opportunities for states to develop and regulate their electricity markets in line with their economic needs and available resources.
“The Act empowers states to develop and regulate intrastate electricity markets within the applicable constitutional and statutory framework.
“Electricity supply must become a shared responsibility, pursued with innovation and accountability across the federation. Our states must shed the habit of waiting for Abuja to provide every answer,” he said.
The workshop, themed “Unlocking the Opportunities of the Electricity Act 2023 for Sustainable Energy Development and Economic Growth in Nigeria,” brought together federal and state institutions, regulators and other stakeholders to assess the implementation of the law.
Shettima identified Nigeria’s diverse energy resources as an opportunity for states to expand electricity access, citing solar energy potential in Sokoto, Borno and Katsina, gas resources in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, and hydroelectric opportunities in Niger and Kebbi states.
He urged state governments to leverage these resources to attract investments capable of powering agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.
The Vice-President, however, warned that the passage of legislation alone would not guarantee improved electricity supply, urging states that had yet to establish regulatory institutions to begin the process without delay.
“Legislation cannot implement itself. States yet to act must begin their legislative and institutional preparations promptly. They need to establish functional electricity regulatory bodies with technical competence and capacity,” he said.
To accelerate implementation of the Act, Shettima proposed a National Electricity Reform Peer Review and Implementation Framework involving the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Federal Ministry of Power, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and state electricity regulators.
He said the proposed voluntary framework would enable states to share experiences, strengthen regulatory institutions and assess their progress in electricity market development, investment readiness, consumer protection and access to power.
