Senate President Godswill Akpabio has reiterated that lawmakers are not in the National Assembly to enrich themselves but to make meaningful sacrifices for the benefit of future generations.
He made the remark on the Senate floor during deliberations on the general principles of a bill seeking to amend the Electricity Act, 2023.
The proposed amendment titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electricity Act, 2023, and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 862) aims to address emerging challenges in Nigeria’s power sector. Its objectives include strengthening regulatory and policy coordination, improving financing mechanisms, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and enhancing industrial relations within the sector. It also seeks to redefine the role of host communities and clarify transitional arrangements related to electricity governance.
Sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), who chairs the Senate Committee on Power, the bill aims to provide a clearer legal framework for the transfer of intrastate electricity matters from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to state authorities particularly as they relate to the national grid and related areas of overlap.
In his remarks, Akpabio underscored the importance of electricity to Nigeria’s industrial development, stressing the need for a comprehensive reform of the sector.
Following its second reading, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Power for further scrutiny. The committee is expected to present its findings within six weeks.
