By Kelechi Onwujuba
The Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Musiliu Oseni, has endorsed the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe’s call for stronger collaboration between federal and state institutions in the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM), describing policy and regulatory harmony as essential to improving electricity supply across the country.
Oseni made the call at a stakeholders’ workshop convened by the Minister of Power in Abuja on July 14, 2026. The workshop, themed "Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonisation between Federal and State Institutions on the Decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)," brought together key players to discuss the implementation of the Electricity Act and the decentralisation of Nigeria’s power sector.
•NERC Chairman, Dr. Musiliu Oseni
He said the success of the ongoing electricity market reforms depends on effective cooperation among federal and state institutions, stressing that consumers are primarily interested in reliable electricity rather than the roles played by different regulators.
“Nigerians do not really care about who regulates what or who is responsible for policymaking, but they strongly care about the availability and reliability of supply,” Oseni said.
“It does not matter to them who drives the sector, whether at the state or federal level, but who actually meets their electricity needs.”
The NERC chairman urged regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders to set aside institutional rivalry and work together through constructive engagement to address the sector’s challenges.
He also proposed the establishment of a structured platform for regular policy and regulatory engagement between the Federal Government and state governments.
•Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe
According to Oseni, the existing National Council on Power (NACOP) should be strengthened to facilitate more frequent and focused interactions between the Minister of Power and state commissioners responsible for electricity, thereby improving policy coordination and implementation as Nigeria transitions to a decentralised electricity market.
Earlier, the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, called for greater harmonisation of regulatory and operational activities across the Nigerian Electricity Market, saying closer collaboration among sector stakeholders is critical to expanding electricity access and sustaining ongoing reforms.
Tegbe described electricity as the backbone of national development and urged all stakeholders to work collectively to deliver reliable power supply and accelerate the transformation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
