NERC inaugurates electricity regulators’ forum amid supply crisisThe Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has inaugurated a new national platform, the Forum of Nigerian Electricity Regulators (FONER), aimed at strengthening coordination across the country’s fragmented electricity market as supply challenges intensify.
The forum was formally launched during the first quarter 2026 regulatory meeting with State Electricity Regulators in Lagos, marking a shift toward a more structured, multi-level electricity governance system under the Electricity Act 2023.
NERC stated that the initiative is designed to harmonise regulatory practices between federal and state authorities, reduce inconsistencies in tariff setting and licensing, and improve overall market oversight.
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The move is also intended to close regulatory gaps that operators have previously exploited across jurisdictions.
Chairman of NERC, Musiliu Oseni, described the forum as a critical step in Nigeria’s transition to a decentralised electricity market, stressing the need for collaboration among regulators to prevent “regulatory arbitrage” and ensure accountability across the sector.
The forum will serve as a standing platform for dialogue, peer learning, and policy alignment between NERC and state regulators.
It is expected to support capacity building, standardise consumer protection frameworks, and establish national benchmarks for electricity regulation.
The development comes amid worsening electricity supply conditions nationwide. Persistent outages have been linked to declining power generation, driven largely by gas supply shortages, mounting debts within the sector, and foreign exchange constraints affecting fuel procurement.
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Nigeria’s electricity system remains structurally fragile, with heavy dependence on gas-fired plants and longstanding liquidity issues across the value chain, factors that continue to undermine consistent power delivery and deepen the supply crisis.
By institutionalising FONER, regulators aim to improve coordination, attract investment, and create a more predictable regulatory environment, seen as essential to stabilising electricity supply and expanding access across the country.
Source : Nairametrics
