By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Federal Government has established a nine-member inter-agency committee to address implementation challenges arising from the decentralisation of Nigeria’s electricity market, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the successful implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023.
The committee, chaired by the Honourable Minister of Power, was constituted at the end of a stakeholders’ workshop on the decentralisation of the electricity market.
It has been given four weeks to review key issues raised during the meeting, engage relevant stakeholders, and submit recommendations aimed at strengthening the implementation framework.
According to the Minister, the committee will drive sustained collaboration among stakeholders, resolve emerging implementation challenges, and support the seamless operationalisation of the Electricity Act, 2023.
Addressing participants at the workshop, the Minister described Nigeria’s transition to a decentralised electricity market as one of the most significant reforms undertaken in the power sector in decades, stressing that its success would depend on cooperation rather than institutional rivalry.
He said electricity remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economic growth, industrialisation, job creation, digital transformation and improved quality of life, noting that virtually every sector of the economy—including manufacturing, agriculture, mining, financial services, telecommunications and information technology—relies on a stable power supply.
The Minister further stated that the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on the availability of reliable electricity, describing the responsibility of stakeholders as a national obligation that goes beyond institutional mandates.
He clarified that the decentralisation of the electricity market should not be interpreted as fragmentation of the power sector but as a strategic redistribution of responsibilities within an integrated national electricity ecosystem.
Expressing satisfaction with the level of engagement at the workshop, the Minister commended stakeholders for their commitment to deeper consultations, saying the collaborative efforts would help build a modern, reliable and investor-friendly electricity market capable of improving service delivery, attracting investment and powering Nigeria’s economic growth.
The establishment of the inter-agency committee is expected to accelerate the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023, while providing a coordinated framework for resolving policy and operational issues arising from the ongoing reforms in the nation’s power sector.