Fix Your Own Power Supply - VP Shettima To State Governments

For many Nigerian families, the quality of daily life still depends on whether the lights come on. Now the country’s vice-president says state governments hold much of the answer.

“The final verdict on this law will be delivered wherever a Nigerian reaches for a switch. Entrepreneurs need dependable power, young Nigerians need employment, and investors need transparent rules under which enterprise can prosper,” Vice-President Kashim Shettima said.

He spoke on Wednesday while declaring open the National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja. He was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.

Shettima said Nigeria’s hopes of building a competitive industrial economy would remain held back unless electricity reforms delivered dependable power to businesses, households and public institutions.

The law, he explained, allows states to develop and regulate electricity markets within their own borders, so they can design solutions that fit local needs and resources.

“Electricity supply must become a shared responsibility, pursued with innovation and accountability across the federation. Our States must shed the habit of waiting for Abuja to provide every answer,” he said.

He pointed to what different regions could draw on: solar energy in Sokoto, Borno and Katsina; gas in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa; and hydroelectric opportunities in Niger and Kebbi. He urged states to turn these advantages into investments that would support agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.

Still, he warned that laws on paper will not switch anything on. “Legislation cannot implement itself. States yet to act must begin their legislative and institutional preparations promptly,” he said.

The vice-president also stressed that public money alone will not be enough. “Government cannot finance this transformation from the treasury alone; private capital must arrive with technology and expertise,” he said. He added that transparent licensing, predictable regulation, commercially viable markets and effective dispute resolution would help build investor confidence.

For ordinary customers, he called for stronger protection against arbitrary billing, poor service and unfair commercial practices, insisting that electricity operators must be held accountable for the quality of service they provide.

To help states learn from one another, Shettima proposed a National Electricity Reform Peer Review and Implementation Framework. It would involve the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Ministry of Power, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and state electricity regulators.

The voluntary framework would let states share experiences, strengthen regulatory capacity and assess progress in investment, consumer protection, electricity access and market development. “No state needs to purchase with failure the knowledge another state has already acquired,” Shettima said.

Other officials echoed the call. The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmuda Mamman, said the law’s success would depend on states establishing credible regulatory 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 in implementing the Act.

He disclosed that efforts were under way to develop a standard tariff framework for states to protect consumers while supporting investment and commercial sustainability.

NERC’s Deputy General Manager and Head of Compliance, Hauwa Yakubu, said the commission had transferred regulatory oversight to 17 states, with Akwa Ibom the latest to receive the transfer.

She said NERC was supporting emerging state regulators through technical engagement and peer-to-peer training to help them address electricity challenges within their jurisdictions.