The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, has implored players in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry to shun actions that could affect the decentralised electricity market in the country.
He spoke in Abuja at a workshop in Abuja on harmonising legal, policy and regulatory frameworks between federal and state institutions.
He said the Federal Government retains an important leadership role; state governments now have expanded responsibilities; the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) continues to regulate areas within its jurisdiction; and state regulators are emerging to supervise their respective markets.
According to him, transmission remains a national asset; Distribution companies continue to serve millions of customers; generation companies continue to supply energy into the grid; private investors provide capital; development partners provide technical support; while consumers remain at the heart of every decision.
He added:”None of these institutions exists in isolation. Our success is interconnected. This is why collaboration must become the defining principle of our decentralised electricity market. We must ensure collaboration rather than competition between institutions. We must build alignment instead of regulatory conflict. We must practice mutual respect instead of jurisdictional rivalry.
“The Electricity Act did not establish parallel electricity industries. It established complementary electricity markets operating within one national framework.
“Our objective must therefore be regulatory coherence. Investors should not encounter conflicting rules.Developers should not navigate contradictory approval processes.Consumers should not become casualties of institutional uncertainty. Market participants should enjoy clarity, predictability and confidence wherever they choose to invest.”