\n\nElectricity regulators from 16 Nigerian states have strongly opposed the proposed Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill 2026, accusing the National Assembly of attempting to reclaim powers already devolved to states under the Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.
In a memorandum submitted to the Senate Committee on Power, the state regulators warned that the proposed amendments could undermine ongoing efforts to develop independent state electricity markets and reverse key reforms aimed at decentralising the power sector.
The regulators identified 17 contentious provisions in the bill, including clauses relating to federal oversight of state electricity markets, restrictions on states’ participation in wholesale electricity trading, control over transmission and distribution networks, consumer protection, tariff regulation, and the powers of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
They argued that the bill seeks to restore extensive federal control over electricity matters that are now constitutionally within the jurisdiction of states, describing the move as a threat to the gains of power sector decentralisation.
The regulators urged lawmakers to engage in broader consultations and ensure that any amendments strengthen rather than weaken the autonomy granted to states under existing constitutional and legal reforms.
