Electricity Regulators Unite On Compliance To Curb Accidents, Substandard Installations

The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have committed to enhanced institutional collaboration to improve safety oversight, ensure regulatory compliance, and standardised technical practices across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

This commitment emerged during a courtesy visit by NEMSA’s managing director and chief electrical inspector of the federation, Olusegun  Adesayo, to NERC’s leadership in Abuja.

The engagement addressed cooperation across areas such as electrical safety enforcement, technical inspections, installation certification, metering compliance, infrastructure monitoring, and regulatory oversight spanning the generation, transmission, distribution, and end-user segments of the power value chain.

Adesayo stated that intensified synergy between NEMSA and NERC is necessary to address ongoing safety issues, including electrical accidents, substandard installations, equipment failures, and violations of technical regulations.

He noted that NEMSA’s mandate to inspect, test, and certify electrical installations, meters, instruments, and equipment aligns with NERC’s role in regulating a safe, reliable, and sustainable electricity supply.

“Closer institutional collaboration between NEMSA and NERC is critical to strengthening safety compliance, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring that the Nigerian power sector continues to operate in accordance with established technical standards and global best practices,” Engr. Adesayo, said, according to a statement by NEMSA ‘s head of Public Affairs, Ama Umoren.

He highlighted requirements for harmonised data management, joint incident investigations, shared compliance monitoring, and structured information exchange to enable evidence-based actions and enforcement.

NERC chairman, Dr Musiliu Olalekan Oseni, responded by affirming the commission’s willingness to partner with NEMSA on sector reforms, safety enforcement, and performance improvements.

Dr Oseni pointed to the Electricity Act’s decentralisation of regulatory duties to sub-national levels, which underscores the importance of coordination to uphold uniform technical standards nationwide.

The commission identified the need for rigorous enforcement against substandard electrical materials and unsafe installations, describing standardisation as essential for protecting lives, infrastructure, and investor confidence.

Both agencies resolved to formalise collaboration via technical working groups, joint inspection protocols, regular strategic meetings, and unified compliance mechanisms.

This follows reports of persistent challenges in NESI, where substandard equipment has contributed to incidents affecting reliability and safety, amid ongoing efforts to stabilise power supply for Nigeria’s 200 million-plus population.