The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed electricity consumers in states with newly established regulators to submit complaints on metering, billing, and related service issues to their respective state agencies.
The directive follows the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which is driving the decentralisation of the country’s electricity market.
Under the new arrangement, regulatory oversight of intrastate electricity operations has been transferred to state-level authorities in 15 states. These include Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau.
In a statement, the commission said residents in the affected states should no longer escalate electricity-related disputes to the federal regulator.
“Consumers in these jurisdictions should no longer direct their complaints to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. Instead, they are now required to engage directly with their State Electricity Regulator,” the statement read.
The commission explained that the reform is aimed at bringing regulation closer to consumers and improving responsiveness to complaints. Issues such as estimated billing, delays in meter installation, and poor service delivery are expected to be handled more efficiently at the state level.
It further clarified that state regulators will now oversee complaints related to incorrect or estimated bills, meter procurement and performance, customer service concerns involving distribution companies, and power supply reliability within their jurisdictions.
According to NERC, the decentralisation effort under the Electricity Act 2023 is designed to enhance governance efficiency in the sector.
The commission added that the new structure is expected to reduce response times, strengthen regulatory accountability at the sub-national level, and ensure electricity governance aligns with the specific needs of each state.
Consumers in the affected states have been advised to familiarise themselves with their respective state electricity regulators and direct all complaints through the appropriate local channels.
