FCCPC Seeks Consumer Protection In Power Sector

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for deeper institutional collaboration among electricity regulators, warning that effective implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023, depends on coordinated oversight that guarantees consistent consumer protection across Nigeria’s evolving power market.

Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, made the call at a stakeholders’ engagement on consumer protection and regulatory cooperation in Nigeria’s electricity sector, held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting brought together the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) to strengthen regulatory cooperation following the decentralisation of electricity regulation under the Electricity Act, 2023.

Bello said the new legal framework, which empowers states to regulate intrastate electricity markets, had fundamentally altered Nigeria’s regulatory landscape, making cooperation among federal and state institutions critical to protecting electricity consumers.

He noted that while NERC regulates the electricity industry, NEMSA enforces technical standards, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions oversee intrastate markets, and the FCCPC exercises economy-wide consumer protection and competition oversight, stressing that these mandates must complement one another.

“Consumers experience electricity as one system. When supply is interrupted or a bill appears incorrect, they are not concerned about which regulator has jurisdiction. They simply expect protection. Ensuring that our institutions work seamlessly together is our responsibility, not theirs,” Bello said.

He argued that regulatory success should not be measured solely by the resolution of consumer complaints but by the ability of institutions to prevent disputes through early intervention, coordinated oversight and regulatory certainty.

Bello cited the handling of the proposed replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid meters as a model of inter-agency cooperation, explaining that the FCCPC convened NERC, NEMSA and electricity distribution companies following widespread public concerns over possible consumer charges, estimated billing and supply disruptions.

According to him, the engagement led to the suspension of the replacement exercise until all regulatory requirements were met, while NERC’s subsequent implementation framework guaranteed that consumers would not bear replacement costs, suffer electricity disconnections or be subjected to estimated billing because of obsolete meters.

He maintained that effective regulation was built on institutional cooperation rather than jurisdictional rivalry, urging regulators to strengthen information sharing, policy coordination and enforcement collaboration as more states establish electricity regulatory commissions.

Bello also called on electricity distribution companies and other operators in the value chain to comply with regulatory obligations, resolve consumer complaints promptly and operate transparently to build confidence in the sector.

He urged consumers to utilise established complaint resolution mechanisms and engage regulatory institutions responsibly, adding that stronger partnerships among regulators would promote a more accountable, predictable and consumer-centred electricity market capable of supporting investment, improving service delivery and driving economic growth.

The stakeholders’ engagement focused on strengthening cooperation among electricity regulators to ensure consistent consumer protection and effective enforcement as Nigeria implements the Electricity Act, 2023.