NIGERIA: Electricity Bill Scales 2nd Reading at the Senate

• Electricity Bill scales 2nd reading
• Lawan refers Bill to Committee Power

The electricity Bill 2021 has scaled the 2nd reading at the Senate. The Bill seeks to consolidate all power sector legislations in the country under one electricity statute. The Bill also seeks to improve Nigeria’s generation capacity. The Bill is sponsored by Senator Gabriell Suswan (PDP, Benue North-East).

While speaking on the floor of the Senate, Suswam explained that the Bill, if enacted into law, would repeal the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, 2005, consolidate all legislations in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and enact an omnibus Electricity Act for the industry to provide the ideal legal and institutional framework to guide the post-privatization phase of the industry in Nigeria.

He explained further that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) were also established to enforce technical standards and regulations, as well as the coordination and implementation of rural electrification, respectively.

Suswan reiterated the need for a consolidation of all legislations in the power sector to streamline all regulatory responsibilities and ensure clarity of statutory roles for ease of compliance with regulatory requirements by operators. ”what is, however, required at this point is an ideal legal framework that will stimulate the deployment of relevant regulatory and policy measures that will accelerate growth in power generation capacity, improve utilization of generated power through investment in new technologies that would enhance transmission and distribution of generated power.” he said.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has referred the Bill to the Committee on Power for further work with a deadline of four weeks to report back to the Senate.