End In Sight For Power Outages In Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government has taken bold step towards ending the incessant power outage in a bid to further boost the economy and attract more investors to the state. To this end, Governor Abdullahi Sule recently inaugurated the pioneer members of the State’s organ charged with the responsibility of ensuring uninterrupted supply across the state, Nasarawa Electricity Regulatory Commission (NASERC).

The members included Abubakar Bello , Chairman, Engr. Muhammad Dauda , Technical Regulation, Dr Moses Arigu , Economic Regulation and Consumer Affairs, Engr. Ahmed Al-Mustapha Usman, Rural Electrification.

Other were Ubam Adego, Finance and Administration, and Barr. Mohammed Aboki , Legal and Licensing.

At the inauguration, Governor Sule emphasised that the administration’s vision towards enhancing the state’s economy through industrialization cannot be fully achieved without power.

“This administration is committed to the full industrialisation of Nasarawa State in order to diversify the economy, create jobs and alleviate poverty.

“Undoubtedly, this vision cannot be realised without steady power supply to boost investors’ confidence,” he said.

Determined to address the situation, he set out to put in place the much needed structure and the enabling environment for a smooth operation. He first created the state regulatory authority, NASERC. Then, in a move described by energy experts as pragmatic, Governor Sule approached the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the transfer of regulatory oversight of the electricity market in the State to NASERC.

This move, which aligned with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023, is not only timely but also deeply strategic in catalyzing economic development at the grassroots level.

The national regulator yielded to the governor’s request, when in August, 2025, it ceded the oversight to to the state body.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Nasarawa State from the Commission to the Nasarawa State Electricity Regulatory Commission,” the commission had stated.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains its role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The new transfer Order by NERC directed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc to incorporate a subsidiary (AEDC SubCo) to assume responsibilities for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Nasarawa State from AEDC.

It stipulated that, “AEDC shall complete the incorporation of AEDC SubCo within 60 days from 4th August 2025. The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from NASERC, among other directives,” the commission stated.

It said that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 3, 2026.

It is noteworthy that all the processes stipulated by the national regulatory body have been met by the state government.

For, the foresight, Governor Sule has been praised for swiftly setting up NASERC and positioning the state as one of the early movers in implementing the provisions of the amended Electricity Act. “This proactive governance shows a clear understanding of the importance of reliable electricity in driving industrial growth, improving public services, and enhancing quality of life for its citizens,” one of the state local newspaper, had stated in an editorial on the development.

Governor Sule challenged the newly inaugurated NASERC board to live up to the expectation of the peoplewho for many years, have been grappling with epileptic power supply.

“We expect nothing less than effectiveness and efficiency for the benefit of the good people of Nasarawa State,” he said.

It was in need a tall order from the administration which is determined to harness the opportunities provided by the Electricity Act to tackle the state’s electricity challenges.

“Our desire is to ensure that we have full authority to generate, transmit and distribute electricity to the satisfaction of our citizens, especially at a challenging period such as this.

“The commission is cardinal to our development objectives and its dedication will provide the platform through which our policies and programmes in the power sector can be realised,” he noted.