Abia enacts electricity law, unveils regulatory agency

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The Abia State Government has enacted the Abia State Electricity Law, 2025, and established the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority to oversee electricity market activities within the state.

The new law, enacted pursuant to powers granted to states under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electricity Act, 2023, empowers Abia to independently regulate electricity generation, transmission, distribution and trading within its territory.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ASERA, Mr Emeka Onyegbule, said the authority had formally taken over regulatory oversight of the state’s electricity market following the issuance of a final transfer order by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Onyegbule said the ASERA board was inaugurated on April 30, 2025, in line with the provisions of the new law.

Onyegbule said, “The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, in the exercise of the powers conferred under the Electricity Act 2023, issued an interim Transfer Order no: NERC/2025/058 dated the 24th day of June 2025; formally transferring regulatory oversight of the Electricity Market in Abia State from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to the ASERA.

“The Interim Order elapsed after a six-month transition period, paving the way for the Final Transfer Order from the Commission that completely put the regulatory oversight of the state market under ASERA.”

He said the transition culminated in the issuance of a final transfer of regulatory authority order by NERC on December 24, 2025.

“With this transfer, all activities within the electricity value-chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and trading, fall under the direct oversight and regulation of the Authority effective from the date of the Transfer Order,” he said.

He assured licensees and stakeholders that ASERA would operate a fair, objective and transparent regulatory regime, guided strictly by the provisions of the law and its regulatory instruments.

Onyegbule said the authority would ensure compliance with licence terms and contractual obligations, while protecting consumer interests and promoting quality service delivery.

“We will ensure that stakeholders discharge contractual obligations to one another while upholding the terms of their licenses, and customers’ voices will be heard and respected, while we will focus on quality service delivery,” he stated.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the enactment of the electricity law paved the way for the establishment of ASERA as an independent regulator of the Abia electricity market.

Kanu noted that the transfer of regulatory powers from NERC to ASERA was in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2023, which allows states to regulate their electricity markets.

The Commissioner for Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, said the process began on March 17, following the enactment of the electricity law, describing it as a step towards building a world-class electricity market in the state.

Uwanna said the new regulatory framework would encourage investment, protect consumers and improve efficiency in electricity service delivery across Abia State.

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