- The forum identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats linked to the Electricity Act 2023.
- The Electricity Act provides a legal framework for private sector participation in generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity.
Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) concluded a two-day workshop yesterday aimed at boosting electricity supply across the country. According to NGF chairman and Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, the event demonstrates the forum’s belief in partnership and getting divergent views on improving supply.
With the theme, ‘Implications and Opportunities for State Electricity Markets’, the workshop also seeks ways to complement the Electricity Act 2023. The chairman stated that the Act comes with risks and threats, which must be understood. He added, “We will leave here enriched, seeing how we can implement the Electricity Act and interface with existing structures.”
The NGF had described the event as a high-level roundtable expected to provide an opportunity for states to dialogue on potential pathways for accelerating energy access as envisaged in the Act, with input from key stakeholders, such as the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), NGF, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), development partners and a select number of internationally renowned experts in the field of regional electricity markets.
Objectives of the workshop include identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats linked to the Electricity Act 2023. It also includes strategies for navigating emerging challenges and raising awareness of mechanisms at the NGF to support state electricity markets.
In his remarks, NGF Director General, Asishana Okauru, said, “The Electricity Act 2023 represents a significant milestone towards achieving a stable, reliable, and efficient electricity supply for our people. It provides a legal framework for private sector participation in generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity. We will give a lot of technical support to states. This includes collaborating with development partners that are very experienced in this area to help take this initiative to the local level.”