Oyo State Advances Electricity Market with OYSERC Launch

The Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC), has reset the electricity supply chain inefficiency in the state, with the inauguration of a new acting board

The state governor, Seyi Makinde, had inaugurated a new acting board for the OYSERC to facilitate the oversight functions of the Commission and accelerate the opening of the state’s electricity market.

The governor also appointed the commissioner for energy and mineral resources, Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, as the acting chairman of the OYSERC; Ayanniyi Taiwo as acting secretary; Solomon Oyekunle, acting technical member; Abiodun Adedoja, acting strategy member; and Omolara Omoremi, acting legal member, according to a release issued by his special adviser on media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

The acting chairman, in a statement, said the appointments were significant in the operationalisation of the OYSERC.

According to him, the step marks a major milestone in the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 and the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Law 2024, which empower Oyo state to regulate its intrastate electricity market under Nigeria’s evolving dual-tier regulatory framework.

It added that the appointments in acting capacities were aimed at driving the institutional take-off of the commission and establishing foundational regulatory systems, licensing frameworks, compliance mechanisms, tariff oversight methodologies, consumer protection architecture, and internal governance structures.

Shangodoyin said the Governor would make substantive appointments upon the formal passage of the Oyo State Electricity Market Bill into law.

Explaining the oversight functions of the OYSERC, Shangodoyin stated that the commission would focus on:

Licensing of generation, distribution, embedded generation, captive power, and mini-grid projects within Oyo State; Tariff regulation and service band oversight to prevent arbitrary upgrades; Consumer complaint resolution and protection mechanisms; Monitoring, compliance, and enforcement of service standards; Promotion of embedded generation and local electricity market development; and Enforcement of technical and safety standards.
He said, “By decentralising regulatory oversight, Oyo state is now positioned to respond more quickly to electricity service gaps, strengthen accountability of operators, and encourage private sector investment in local power solutions.

“As a Commission, we have recorded some achievements within the initial operational period, including receiving and reviewing consumer petitions, engaging constructively with distribution operators and stakeholders, facilitating the resolution of select electricity disputes, initiating alignment with the Oyo State Electricity Priority Plan and Implementation Roadmap (2026–2031), and advancing institutional systems, staffing, and administrative frameworks.

“Our focus is to open up the Oyo Electricity Market.

“We are positioning the state to encourage embedded and distributed generation, attract private sector investment, improve service delivery and accountability, strengthen consumer confidence, accelerate infrastructure expansion, and enhance power reliability across the state.

“This is a milestone that underscores Oyo State’s commitment to regulatory clarity, institutional robustness, financial sustainability, and improved electricity access for residents, businesses, and public institutions.”

It would be recalled that on February 12, the OYSERC held a high-level technical meeting with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Abuja to ensure regulatory coordination and a seamless market transition.

The engagement focused on jurisdictional clarity under the Electricity Act 2023; licensing and regulatory frameworks; tariff oversight and service band accountability; consumer protection systems; compliance monitoring and enforcement; digital regulatory platforms and data integration; and institutional capacity development.

The meeting reaffirmed the spirit of cooperative federalism embedded in Nigeria’s electricity reform and laid the groundwork for structured collaboration between federal and state regulators.