The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for stronger collaboration among regulators in Nigeria’s electricity sector, stressing that seamless cooperation is critical to protecting consumers and ensuring the success of the country’s evolving power market.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, made the call on Thursday in Abuja during a stakeholder engagement on consumer protection and regulatory cooperation in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) to deliberate on strengthening consumer protection under the Electricity Act, 2023.
Bello said the decentralisation of electricity regulation under the new law had created opportunities for innovation and faster decision-making by states, but also underscored the need for stronger coordination among regulatory agencies.
According to him, electricity consumers are interested in receiving quality service and fair treatment, rather than which agency has jurisdiction over a particular issue.
“The Electricity Act, 2023 represents one of the most significant reforms of Nigeria’s electricity sector in recent years. Beyond creating new opportunities for investment and improved service delivery, it has fundamentally reshaped our regulatory architecture.
“For the first time, states may establish their own Electricity Regulatory Commissions and regulate intrastate electricity markets in ways that reflect their individual economic and social realities.
“This creates greater scope for innovation, quicker decision-making and more responsive regulation. At the same time, it makes cooperation between our institutions more important than ever.
“The success of this framework will depend not only on the effectiveness of each regulator but also on how well we work together. Consumers experience electricity as one system. When supply is interrupted or a bill appears incorrect, they are not concerned about which regulator has jurisdiction. They simply expect protection. Ensuring that our institutions work seamlessly together is our responsibility, not theirs,” Bello said.
He explained that while sector regulators such as NERC, NEMSA and state electricity commissions possess technical expertise within their respective mandates, the FCCPC brings broad experience in consumer protection and competition regulation.
“Our responsibilities are different, but they are complementary. Our objective is to consult, exchange information, support one another’s lawful actions and ensure that consumers receive timely and effective protection. That is the hallmark of mature regulatory governance,” he added.
Bello cited the Commission’s intervention in the planned replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid electricity meters as an example of how collaboration among regulators could prevent consumer harm.
He recalled that consumers had expressed fears they would be forced to pay for replacing obsolete meters or be subjected to estimated billing and supply interruptions during the replacement exercise.
Recognising the concerns, he said the FCCPC convened a meeting involving NERC, NEMSA and electricity distribution companies, leading to the suspension of the exercise pending compliance with regulatory requirements.
According to him, the eventual implementation complied with NERC’s Order on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-user Customer Meters, which guaranteed that consumers would not bear the replacement cost, would continue receiving electricity supply and would not be exposed to estimated billing because of implementation delays.
“The outcome demonstrated that consumers benefit most when regulators work together and coordinate their respective powers towards a common objective.
“Consumers should never be disadvantaged because infrastructure has reached the end of its useful life through no fault of their own,” he said.
Bello stressed that effective consumer protection should not be measured solely by the number of disputes resolved but by the number of disputes prevented.
“Preventing consumer harm is one of the highest aspirations of any regulatory system,” he said.
He added that institutions should respect one another’s statutory responsibilities instead of engaging in jurisdictional rivalry.
“Strong regulation is not built on institutional rivalry. It is built on cooperation, mutual respect and a shared commitment to the public interest,” Bello said.
The FCCPC boss also urged electricity distribution companies and other operators within the value chain to comply with regulatory directives, resolve customer complaints fairly and operate transparently in order to build public confidence in the sector.
He encouraged electricity consumers to utilise established complaint resolution channels while also fulfilling their obligations.
“As more State Electricity Regulatory Commissions assume responsibility for regulating intrastate electricity markets, close cooperation between our institutions will become increasingly important.
“Our success should not be judged by how firmly we protect our individual jurisdictions, but by how effectively we work together to serve electricity consumers,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Mr. Anthony Essien, described the FCCPC as a critical partner in protecting electricity consumers.
He said the Commission had become deeply integrated into NERC’s customer engagement and consumer complaint resolution processes.
“FCCPC has been a very important partner. It is well embedded in our redress mechanism and is also a member of our customer complaint forums across the country.
“We appreciate this vision for deeper collaboration. As states continue to develop their electricity markets, cooperation among regulators will become even more important in ensuring that consumers receive effective protection,” Essien said.
He noted that strengthening partnerships among regulators would improve service delivery, enhance consumer confidence and create a more efficient electricity market.
Also speaking, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Mr. Chijioke Okonkwo, welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely following the emergence of state electricity regulators under the Electricity Act.
Okonkwo said many newly established state commissions initially assumed that consumer protection issues within their jurisdictions would be handled independently.
However, he noted that the stakeholder engagement demonstrated the importance of collaboration with national institutions such as the FCCPC.
“This engagement has shown us that we are not restricted to operating in isolation. It reassures us that support is available from the FCCPC and other institutions whenever necessary.
“We know our mandate and respect our responsibilities, but this collaborative approach allows us to share ideas, learn from one another and implement best practices within our respective states for the ultimate protection of consumers,” he said.
He described Nigeria’s decentralised electricity market as a pioneering model on the African continent.
“We are trying to develop something that has never been done anywhere else in Africa. We want to get it right because the ultimate beneficiaries are electricity consumers.
“When we satisfy consumers through improved electricity services, we would have achieved the objective of these reforms,” Okonkwo said.
He pledged the commitment of state regulators to supporting initiatives that would strengthen consumer protection and regulatory cooperation nationwide.
Participants at the meeting agreed that closer coordination among federal and state regulators would be essential to implementing the Electricity Act, 2023, strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electricity market and ensuring that consumers enjoy consistent protection irrespective of where they reside.
ENDS
(The Whistler)