The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has urged electricity sector regulators to deepen collaboration in order to enhance consumer protection, improve service delivery and build public confidence in Nigeria’s evolving electricity market.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, made the appeal on Thursday during a stakeholder engagement on consumer protection and regulatory collaboration held in Abuja.
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 discuss the implementation of consumer protection provisions contained in the Electricity Act, 2023.
Bello observed that the decentralisation of electricity regulation has created opportunities for state regulators to respond more quickly to local challenges and develop innovative solutions. However, he stressed that effective cooperation among regulatory institutions is essential to ensuring consumers receive consistent protection.
He noted that electricity users are primarily concerned with reliable power supply, transparent billing and accessible complaint resolution, rather than the specific agency responsible for regulating their service providers.
According to him, consumers experience the electricity sector as a unified system and should not be affected by jurisdictional divisions among regulatory agencies.
“The effectiveness of this regulatory framework depends not only on the performance of individual institutions but also on our ability to work together in the interest of consumers,” Bello said.
He explained that while NERC, NEMSA and the state commissions each perform distinct technical functions, the FCCPC contributes expertise in consumer rights and competition regulation, making inter-agency cooperation indispensable.
“Our mandates may differ, but they complement one another. By sharing information, supporting lawful regulatory actions and working collectively, we can provide stronger protection for electricity consumers,” he added.
Bello cited the controversy surrounding the planned replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid electricity meters as an example of the positive outcomes that can result from coordinated regulatory action.
He recalled that many electricity consumers feared they would be required to bear the cost of replacing the meters or face estimated billing and service interruptions during the exercise.
According to him, the FCCPC facilitated discussions involving NERC, NEMSA and electricity distribution companies, leading to the suspension of the planned exercise until all regulatory requirements were satisfied.
He explained that the replacement programme was eventually implemented in accordance with NERC’s guidelines for the structured replacement of defective and obsolete customer meters.
The revised arrangement ensured that consumers were not charged for new meters, continued to enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply and were protected from estimated billing caused by delays in the replacement process.
Bello said the outcome demonstrated the benefits of coordinated regulation, noting that consumers should never suffer because utility infrastructure has reached the end of its operational lifespan.
“Consumers should not be penalised for circumstances beyond their control. Preventing consumer harm should remain one of the highest priorities of every regulatory institution,” he said.
He urged regulators to prioritise collaboration over institutional rivalry and encouraged electricity distribution companies and other industry operators to comply fully with regulatory directives, resolve customer complaints promptly and operate with greater transparency.
Speaking at the event, NERC’s Head of Consumer Protection, Anthony Essien, described the FCCPC as a key partner in the commission’s efforts to improve consumer engagement and complaint resolution.
He noted that FCCPC representatives already participate in NERC’s customer complaint forums across the country and said stronger collaboration would become increasingly important as more states assume responsibility for regulating their electricity markets.
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Also speaking, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Chijioke Okonkwo, welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely in view of the growing number of state electricity regulators established under the Electricity Act.
Okonkwo said the engagement reaffirmed that state commissions can benefit from the technical expertise and institutional support available through federal regulatory agencies.
He added that Nigeria’s decentralised electricity regulatory framework has the potential to improve service delivery, provided regulators continue to work together in protecting consumers and promoting efficiency.
Participants at the meeting agreed that sustained collaboration between federal and state regulatory bodies would be vital to the successful implementation of the Electricity Act, 2023, and to ensuring consistent consumer protection throughout the country’s electricity sector.
