- UKNIAF and NGF trained all 36 states and FCT through national workshops on electricity market design, integrated resource planning, and investor-ready reforms.
- The initiative equipped states with tools for investor-ready markets under the Electricity Act 2023, boosting Nigeria’s decentralised energy future.
The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), has completed a major national initiative to drive state-led electricity market reforms.
In a statement on Thursday, August 28, the partners announced that the State Learning Workshop Series focused on electricity market development, integrated resource planning, and the use of energy modelling software.
The workshops, held in Lagos, Calabar, Kano, and Jos, brought together participants from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, setting a strong precedent for future reforms.
According to the statement, the initiative equipped policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable, and investor-ready electricity markets at the state level, in line with the Electricity Act 2023.
Reflecting on the programme’s significance, Chijioke Chuku, Director-Legal/Head, Power Desk at the NGF, said, “Nigeria’s electricity future depends on the capacity of our states to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision. Through the workshop series, we are equipping states not just with knowledge but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets. The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.”
In addition, the workshops addressed legal and regulatory pathways for establishing state electricity markets, commercial models to attract private investment, integration of state plans into Nigeria’s National Integrated Resource Plan, and hands-on training in energy modelling software.
The initiative also drew lessons from UKNIAF’s support to Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo States, early movers in electricity market development, and its technical assistance to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria’s first National Integrated Resource Plan, which were recently approved.
With the Electricity Act 2023 now empowering states, the partners described the series as a timely and strategic effort to strengthen capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria’s decentralised energy landscape.