Power minister inaugurates committee to address sector’s challenges

Orisemeke Benjamin

The Minister of Power, Olasebikan Tegbe on Wednesday inaugurated a nine‑member inter‑agency committee to tackle practical challenges surrounding the decentralisation of Nigeria’s electricity market, describing the move as “critical” to operationalising the Electricity Act, 2023.

“A key outcome of this workshop is the establishment of a nine‑member inter‑agency committee,” the minister told delegates. He will chair the committee, which he said is tasked with “driving sustained engagement, resolving emerging implementation issues, and supporting the seamless operationalisation of the Electricity Act, 2023.”

The panel has been given a strict four‑week mandate to review the issues raised during the workshop, consult with stakeholders and present resolutions within the timeframe. “The members will work with other stakeholders and share a resolution within the time frame,” the minister said.

In an address that framed the reform as central to Nigeria’s development agenda, he appealed for cooperation across institutions. “Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to make one central point this morning. We must make the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry succeed,” he said. “Electricity remains the single most important enabler of economic growth, industrialisation, job creation, digital transformation and improved quality of life.”

He highlighted the cross‑sectoral dependency on reliable power: “Every sector of our economy depends upon it – Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining, Financial Services, Telecommunications and Information Technology, to mention but a few.”

Reiterating that decentralisation should not equate to fragmentation, the minister urged participants to view the reform as an “intelligent distribution of responsibilities within one integrated national electricity ecosystem.” He said the workshop’s consultations and the new committee will strengthen the implementation framework and attract investment.

“I am encouraged by the constructive engagement of all stakeholders,” he added. “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.”

The statement issued after the workshop was signed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and underscored the regulator’s support for the committee’s mandate and the urgency of timely deliverables from the four‑week review.