‘Nigerians Don’t Care Who Regulates, They Want Light,’ NERC Backs Federal-State Harmony Push

● NERC Chairman Dr. Musiliu Oseni, Throws Weight Behind Minister’s Push for One Electricity Market

ABUJA — The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has thrown its full weight behind the Minister of Power’s call for harmony in the electricity sector, warning that rivalry between federal and state institutions is delaying power for millions of Nigerians.

At a high-level workshop in Abuja on July 14, 2026, the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, said the sector must harmonise regulatory and operational activities to achieve the “onerous goal” of expanding access to electricity.

The meeting, themed _‘Legal, Policy and Regulatory Harmonisation between Federal and State Institutions on the Decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry’_, comes as more states push to take control of their power markets following constitutional amendments.

Opening the session, NERC Chairman Dr. Musiliu Oseni echoed the Minister’s position and made a direct appeal to regulators, policymakers and operators: put consumers first.

“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,” Dr. Oseni said.

“It does not matter to them who drives the sector, be it state or federal, but who actually meets their supply needs,” he added, urging stakeholders to reflect and drop personal interests.

The NERC Chairman told participants that the conversation must shift from turf battles to outcomes, with all actors focused on delivering improved results for electricity consumers.

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“I wish to urge all actors in the room to reflect, drop our ego and personal interests, embrace dialogue and let us all work together to meet the yearnings of Nigerians,” he said.

Electricity, the Minister stressed, remains the bedrock for the development of any nation. Without reliable power, industry cannot grow, jobs cannot be created, and public services will remain under pressure.

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To prevent further fragmentation, Dr. Oseni proposed the creation of a strategic platform for regular regulatory and policy dialogue between federal and state actors.

He suggested that the Minister institute periodic policy meetings with state commissioners of power, rather than relying on one large annual gathering.

“The platform through which this could take place already exists – i.e., the National Council on Power, NACOP – but there is a need to reform the structure of engagements,” the NERC boss noted.

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He argued that more frequent and more focused meetings with state commissioners would provide touchpoints for policy implementation and coordination, especially during the transition to a multi-tier market.

The decentralisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, has opened the door for states to license, regulate and operate their own markets, but it has also raised fears of conflicting rules and market confusion.

With NERC now backing the Minister’s call for unity, the pressure shifts to federal and state institutions to align laws, share data, and coordinate investments. For Nigerians waiting for light, the message from Abuja was clear: less politics, more power.

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