Tegbe Advocates Regulatory Harmony for Nigeria's Power Sector

Joseph Tegbe, the Minister of Power, called for regulatory harmony to protect Nigeria's evolving decentralized electricity market during a workshop held in Abuja. He stressed the necessity for collaboration among stakeholders in the Nigerian electricity supply industry to prevent regulatory actions that could disrupt the sector.

Tegbe stated that the success of electricity sector reforms relies on effective cooperation between federal and state governments, with the federal government maintaining overall leadership while state governments assume greater responsibility under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act. He noted that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) will continue to regulate matters within its statutory jurisdiction, while state electricity regulatory agencies will gradually take charge of the electricity market.

Tegbe warned that rivalries and conflicts within the regulatory framework could discourage investment and undermine confidence in the industry. He emphasized the need for a coherent regulatory environment to ensure that investors can operate predictably and that consumers are not adversely affected by regulatory uncertainties.