Power Minister Sets 9-man Panel To Tackle Regulatory Gaps Blocking Electricity Act Rollout

The minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has announced a nine‑member inter‑agency panel to urgently address regulatory gaps hindering the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023, giving the team four weeks to review issues, engage stakeholders and deliver recommendations to fast‑track the law’s operationalisation.

The minister announced the nine-member Inter-Agency Committee to Address Issues around Decentralisation of Electricity Market during a workshop.

The minister is the chairman of the power sector inter-agency committee, with the objective of driving sustained engagement, resolving emerging implementation issues, and supporting the seamless operationalisation of the Electricity Act, 2023.

The committee has a four-week duration to review issues raised at the meeting. The members will work with other stakeholders and share a resolution within the time frame.

The minister, in his address at the workshop, said Nigeria’s transition to a decentralised electricity market is one of the most significant reforms in the power sector in decades. Its success will depend not on institutional competition, but on collaboration, regulatory certainty, and our shared commitment to delivering better outcomes for Nigerians.

“Permit me to make one central point this morning. We must make the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry succeed.

Electricity remains the single most important enabler of economic growth, industrialisation, job creation, digital transformation and improved quality of life. Every sector of our economy depends upon it – Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining, Financial Services, Telecommunications and Information Technology, to mention but a few.

Indeed, every national aspiration under the Renewed Hope Agenda rests upon the availability of reliable electricity. The responsibility before us, therefore, extends beyond institutional mandates.

It is a national obligation. The decentralisation of the electricity market should not be viewed as fragmentation. It should rather be understood as the intelligent distribution of responsibilities within one integrated national electricity ecosystem.

I am encouraged by the constructive engagement of all stakeholders, including the decision to deepen consultations as we continue to strengthen the implementation framework. “Together, we are laying the foundation for a modern, reliable, and investor-friendly electricity market that delivers improved service, attracts investment, and powers Nigeria’s economic growth,” Tegbe said.