NERC, NJI Update Judicial Officers On Ongoing Reforms In NESI
By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
In its quest to keep stakeholders abreast of developments arising from ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in collaboration with National Judicial Institute (NJI), has taken the awareness campaign to judicial officials.
As the statutory umpire with regulatory and oversight mandate NESI, NERC has always engaged the various sectoral stakeholders, including civil society groups, the media, and other professional bodies through town hall meetings, workshops among others.
The latest of the programmes, targeted at updating Judicial Officers on the operations of NESI, was a seminar for Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State with the theme: ‘Reforms in the Electricity Sector towards Sustainability’.
In his address, the Administrator of NJI, Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, noted the sustained collaboration between NERC and the NJI especially in providing guidance towards steering a pathway to sustainable reforms in the electricity sector.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the CJN for the guidance and I would like to appreciate the Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal for honouring the invitation to attend this seminar. At this stage, I wish you a fruitful deliberation.”
In his opening address, the Chairman of NERC, Sanusi Garba, represented by NERC Commissioner, Finance and Management Service, Nathan Shatti, said it was the desire of NERC to continue to find ways to organize such engagements to deepen collaborations with the judiciary.
He said: “One of the key objectives of the seminar is to stimulate a discourse on emerging legal issues relating to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, and to apprise the judiciary of the recent changes in the regulatory landscape.”
The NERC Commissioner also told the Justices that NERC has transferred regulatory authority to seven states and that the Commission was prepared to continue to do more.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun represented by Hon. Justice Adamu Jauro while declaring the seminar opened, acknowledged the role of electricity as a critical driver of viable economic growth prompting the need to sustain key reforms to improve electricity. Towards this, the CJN noted the imperative for judicial officers to understand the sector.
The NERC Commissioner, Legal, Licencing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, delivered a presentation titled, ‘Legal Framework for the Electricity Industry in Nigeria and Emerging Changes’ in which he explained the implications of the Electricity Act 2023 as a critical move to sustain the power sector reforms.
“Various states, comprising Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Oyo, Edo and Kogi have enacted their electricity laws and we have the potential of having more.
“NERC has been responsible for international trading in electricity, the general wholesale market, inter-state market, and the Federal Capital Territory until devolution. Now states would be responsible for intra-state electricity market. We need to be prepared for the significant issues arising from the unbundling,” Dafe noted.
“The NERC Commissioner however acknowledged the increased role of the judiciary in the changing landscape of the NESI and handling of litigations.
“There is a change in approach with precedent flowing from suits filed by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) against the March 2024 tariff reviews. There are also practice directions for NESI matters.”
Also making a presentation on ‘Brief Overview of the NESI, NERC Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, Aisha Mahmud highlighted challenges in the NESI that impede its development.
“Addressing the challenges in NESI requires the under listed initiatives, some of which are ongoing: right pricing and reduction in energy theft, improved metering, improved investments, strengthened regulatory oversights and policy coordination,” she said.
Commending the enactment of EA 2023, which now allows states to develop their regulatory provision, the Commissioner for Power in Akwa Ibom state, Engr Camilus Umoh, said Akwa Ibom State was working to pass its electricity law latest by the end of November, 2024.