Senate approves electricity act amendment bill.
The Nigerian Senate has moved to tackle the persistent challenges in the country’s power sector by passing the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 through second reading.
Sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), the bill seeks to address regulatory deficiencies and reform the existing 2023 Electricity Act. During the debate, Abaribe—who also chairs the Senate Committee on Power—highlighted the urgent need for legislative reform, warning that the sector is being crippled by inefficiency and financial mismanagement.
“The current law is weak, with inadequate penalties and vague regulatory provisions. It has yet to be fully operationalised and lacks clarity on key areas such as funding, labour rights in essential services, and the responsibilities of state governments following recent constitutional amendments,” Abaribe stated.
He stressed that electricity, as an essential service, must not be used as leverage for disruptive strikes and called for the removal of ambiguities to ensure enforceable regulations.
Abaribe also pointed to the failure of some distribution companies (DisCos) to remit payments for electricity supplied, which he said was worsening the sector’s instability. He further disclosed that the Federal Government owes over ₦4 trillion in the power sector—underscoring the urgency of reform.
Supporting the bill, Senator Adamu Aliero raised concerns about continued government spending in a supposedly privatised sector. He criticized the financial burden the government still bears despite transferring generation and distribution responsibilities to private companies.
“We've privatised the power sector, yet trillions of naira are still being funneled into it. Worse still, the growing menace of infrastructure vandalism is crippling progress. Those sabotaging national assets should face the severest penalties—even capital punishment if necessary,” Aliero asserted.
If passed into law, the amended bill will strengthen the legal framework by:
- Criminalising vandalism of power infrastructure,
- Clarifying the devolution of regulatory authority from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to state governments,
- Enhancing implementation of the Electricity Consumer Assistance Fund,
- Improving institutional oversight and accountability,
- And bolstering penalties for violations.
The bill has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on Power for further review, with a report expected within six weeks.
The amendment marks a key legislative step toward reforming Nigeria’s power sector and achieving a more reliable, transparent, and efficient electricity supply system.
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