The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for stronger collaboration among electricity regulators to ensure effective consumer protection and build public confidence as Nigeria implements reforms under the Electricity Act, 2023.
Speaking at the Stakeholder Engagement on Consumer Protection and Regulatory Cooperation in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said coordinated regulation was essential to delivering reliable consumer protection in the country’s evolving electricity market.
He noted that while the Electricity Act, 2023 decentralised electricity regulation by allowing states to establish their own regulatory commissions, consumers expect a seamless system that protects their interests regardless of jurisdiction.
“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 explained.
The FCCPC boss stressed that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) and the FCCPC have distinct but complementary responsibilities that must be coordinated to achieve effective consumer protection.
“These 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 stated.
According to Bello, experience has shown that collaboration among regulators consistently delivers better outcomes than institutional rivalry.
“The best outcomes come from collaboration, not rivalry; from respecting one another’s mandates, engaging early and coordinating our actions. When regulators work together, consumers receive better protection, and when consumers are better protected, confidence in the electricity sector grows to the benefit of consumers, businesses and the wider economy,” he emphasised
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC also urged electricity distribution companies and other operators in the value chain to comply with regulatory obligations, resolve consumer complaints fairly and operate transparently, while encouraging consumers to use established complaint-resolution mechanisms responsibly.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director and Head of Consumer Protection Department at NERC, Anthony Essien, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the FCCPC to improve consumer protection and dispute resolution in the electricity sector.
Essien described the FCCPC as a critical partner in safeguarding the rights of electricity consumers.
“It is a message that underscores the importance of consumer protection in the electricity sector. Being our super regulator in customer protection, we are aware of your mandate to ensure that every Nigerian consumer and customer is provided requisite services and is protected for every product that they consume,” he said.
He further said that the FCCPC is fully integrated into NERC’s consumer redress mechanism and participates in the commission’s Customer Complaints Forums across the country.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC), Chijoke Okonkwo, also welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant opportunity for state regulators to strengthen consumer protection through collaboration.
Okonkwo said the engagement had demonstrated that state regulators could benefit from federal support while carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
“This exposure actually showed us that we could receive support from the FCCPC and that its interest extends to what happens to all consumers across the country. So we are not limited or restricted to just what is happening within our own state,” he said.
He noted that the collaborative framework would enable state regulators to exchange ideas, adopt best practices and address common regulatory challenges for the benefit of electricity consumers nationwide.
The stakeholder engagement brought together the FCCPC, NERC, NEMSA and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to strengthen institutional cooperation and improve consumer protection in Nigeria’s evolving electricity sector.
