The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is convening its sixth seminar focused on the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), specifically designed for judicial officers.
This year’s theme is “Nigeria’s Electricity Market in Transition: Law, Regulation and the Courts.” The three-day event, held in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), is taking place at the NJI Complex in Abuja.
Under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Musiliu Oseni, the seminar will feature participation from key NERC officials, including Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, Commissioner for Legal, Licensing, and Compliance; Mr. Nathan Shatti, Commissioner for Corporate Services; Mrs. Aisha Mahmud, Commissioner for Stakeholder Management; and Dr. Fouad Animashaun, Commissioner for Research and Data Analytics.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Oseni emphasized the importance of the seminar as a platform for constructive dialogue between the judiciary and the NERC regarding the progress and challenges facing Nigeria’s power sector. The aim is to foster discussions on emerging legal issues pertinent to NESI.
Dr. Oseni also highlighted significant achievements in power sector reforms over the past year, including the establishment of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) Ltd, spun off from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Plc. This initiative aims to enhance transparency in grid management and operations.
Notably, Nigeria has successfully synchronized its national grid with other West African nations, a milestone facilitated by the West African Power Pool (WAPP).
“I am glad to report that the free distribution of prepaid meters to unmetered customers has fully commenced, in fulfilment of the promise made by Mr President,” Dr Oseni announced.
Other strategic actions include intensified oversight on the implementation of the SCADA project to reduce grid collapses, creating regulatory frameworks to attract private investments in transmission, and establishing customer care clinics across all distribution companies (DisCos) to enhance service delivery.
Providing an update on the ongoing transition to a multi-tier electricity market, the NERC Chairman noted that NERC has already issued Transfer Orders to 16 states, noting that, “we are moving from a regime where My Lords only deal with matters involving utilities and NERC as the sole regulator, to matters involving multiple regulators.
“Without doubt, effective adjudication on such matters will require the familiarisation of my lords with not only the federal laws and NERC regulations but also different states’ laws and regulatory instruments,” he said.
Dr Oseni expressed appreciation to the CJN, President of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and the Attorney General of the Federation for the recently approved Practice Direction for the NESI, noting that suck would provide essential legal clarity for resolving industry matters.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, stated that the judiciary occupies a vital position in this reform journey as guardian of the law.
He noted that the decentralisation of electricity regulation has introduced new areas of adjudication in electricity sector jurisprudence. Furthermore, he emphasised that this seminar is a crucial step that aligns fully with the vision of the CJN toward improving case resolutions within the sector..
In her keynote address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, commended the NERC-NJI collaboration, noting that through programmes such as the seminar, the NJI continues to reaffirm its commitment to strengthening judicial capacity, promoting professional excellence, and enhancing public confidence in the Courts.
“I am confident that the deliberations and insights generated during this Seminar will have a lasting and positive impact on judicial practice and the development of sound electricity-sector jurisprudence,” said the CJN.
There were presentations during the technical session: The first technical session was led by the Commissioner, Legal, Licencing and Compliance at NERC, Mr Dafe Akpeneye. His paper, titled “The Electricity Act 2023 in Practice: Implementation Gaps, Regulatory Friction and the Case for Legislative Amendment”, provided a roadmap for the sector’s current transition.
