Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged state governments to establish functional electricity markets and attract private investment, using the Electricity Act 2023 to address power challenges without depending solely on the Federal Government.
He said Nigeria’s ambition to build a competitive industrial economy would remain constrained unless electricity reforms translated into reliable power for businesses, households and public institutions.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday while declaring open a national stakeholders’ workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
The workshop brought together government institutions, regulators and other stakeholders to review the implementation of the Act.
Shettima said the law had created an opportunity for states to regulate electricity markets within their jurisdictions and develop solutions suited to their economic needs and available resources.
“Our states must shed the habit of waiting for Abuja to provide every answer,” he said, adding that electricity supply should become a shared responsibility across the country.
He cited solar energy potential in Sokoto, Borno and Katsina, gas resources in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, and hydropower opportunities in Niger and Kebbi states.
He urged state governments to turn these resources into investments that would support agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.
The Vice President warned that the law alone could not guarantee improved electricity supply. He urged states that are yet to establish regulatory institutions to begin the process without delay.
He also proposed a voluntary National Electricity Reform Peer Review and Implementation Framework involving the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Federal Ministry of Power, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and state electricity regulators.
The framework, he said, would enable states to share experiences and assess progress in market development, investment readiness, consumer protection and electricity access.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Mahmuda Mamman, said the success of the Act depended on states’ ability to establish credible institutions and commercially viable electricity markets.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, said the forum was working to improve coordination between federal and state institutions.
He added that efforts were underway to develop a standard tariff framework that would protect consumers while encouraging investment.
Meanwhile, NERC’s Deputy General Manager and Head of Compliance, Hauwa Yakubu, said the commission had transferred regulatory responsibilities to 17 states, with Akwa Ibom the latest to receive the transfer.
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