The Chief Executive Officer of Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr. Tunji Bello, has called on stakeholders in the electricity sector to communicate openly and support one another in the discharge of their lawful responsibilities, thereby strengthening regulatory ties among stakeholders by working together to protect consumers’ interests, noting that strong regulation is not built on institutional rivalry.
Bello made this point at a stakeholder engagement on consumer protection and regulatory cooperation in Nigeria’s electricity sector in Abuja, explaining that this is what modern regulatory governance requires. Institutions should understand and respect their respective mandates, he said.
He said, “The Electricity Act, 2023 represents one of the most significant reforms of Nigeria’s electricity sector in recent years. Beyond creating new opportunities for investment and improved service delivery, it has fundamentally reshaped our regulatory architecture. For the first time, states may establish their own Electricity Regulatory Commissions and regulate intrastate electricity markets in ways that reflect their individual economic and social realities.
“This creates greater scope for innovation, quicker decision-making and more responsive regulation. At the same time, it makes cooperation between our institutions stronger than ever. The success of this framework will depend not only on the effectiveness of each regulator, but also on how well we work together. 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”.
He added that, as more State Electricity Regulatory Commissions assume responsibility for regulating intrastate electricity markets under the Electricity Act, 2023, close cooperation between the institutions will become increasingly important. Success should not be judged by how firmly we protect our individual jurisdictions, but by how effectively we work together to serve electricity consumers.
Today’s regulatory environment, he said, is increasingly specialised. Sector regulators bring deep technical expertise, while the FCCPC brings economy-wide experience in consumer protection and competition. Within the electricity sector, NERC provides sector-specific regulation, while NEMSA enforces technical standards. The State Electricity Regulatory Commissions undertake intrastate regulation, and the FCCPC contributes its cross-sector consumer protection mandate.
“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. Over the past year, the FCCPC has worked closely with NERC, NEMSA and other stakeholders on issues affecting electricity consumers.
“That experience has consistently shown that the best outcomes come from collaboration, not rivalry; from respecting one another’s mandates, engaging early and coordinating our actions.
“Allow me to illustrate this with two examples. The first demonstrates how early cooperation between regulators can prevent consumer harm. The second shows how coordinated enforcement can secure meaningful consumer redress. Together, they demonstrate that 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.
The EVC explained that consumer protection is often viewed only through the lens of resolving disputes after they arise. In reality, its greatest value lies in preventing problems before they occur, identifying risks early, resolving uncertainty, and strengthening public confidence before disputes undermine trust. Success should therefore be measured not only by the number of complaints resolved, but also by the number of complaints prevented.
This preventive approach informed one of the Commission’s earliest interventions after I assumed office in July 2024. Public concern was growing over the planned replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid meters used by customers of one of the electricity distribution companies. Replacing obsolete meters is ordinarily a routine technical exercise.
However, many consumers feared they would be required to pay for meters that had become obsolete through no fault of their own. Others worried about the possibility of estimated billing or interruptions to electricity supply while the replacement programme was underway. Those concerns were understandable. At their core were issues of fairness, affordability, continuity of supply, and public confidence in the institutions responsible for consumer protection.
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Recognising that unresolved concerns could undermine confidence in both the replacement exercise and the wider regulatory system, the Commission convened a meeting attended by NERC, NEMSA, and all electricity distribution companies to ensure that the exercise proceeded fairly and in accordance with the law. The engagement was constructive.
Following deliberations, the replacement exercise was suspended pending compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, a position that was endorsed by both NERC and NEMSA. The outcome demonstrated that consumers benefit most when regulators work together and coordinate their respective powers towards a common objective.
The eventual resolution reflected the requirements of NERC’s Order on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-user Customer Meters. The Order guaranteed that consumers would not bear the cost of replacing obsolete meters, would not experience interruption of electricity supply during the replacement exercise, and would not be subjected to estimated billing because of delays in implementation. Those safeguards reflected the principle that consumers should never be disadvantaged because infrastructure has reached the end of its useful life through no fault of their own.
Mr. Bello maintained that preventing consumer harm is one of the highest aspirations of any regulatory system. Yet, no matter how robust the regulatory framework becomes, disputes will inevitably arise. When they do, consumers must have confidence that the institutions established to protect them will not only hear their complaints but also ensure that lawful decisions are respected and effectively implemented.
The obsolete meter intervention illustrates an important principle. The Commission respected NERC’s statutory mandate and recognised its technical expertise. We did not seek to assume the role of the sector regulator. Instead, we acted in a way that supported the existing regulatory framework and strengthened its effectiveness. Wherever an electricity consumer lives in Nigeria, they should have the same confidence that they will be treated fairly, that complaints will be resolved effectively, and that lawful regulatory decisions will be respected.
Building trusted electricity markets is not the responsibility of regulators alone. Electricity Distribution Companies and every other participant in the electricity value chain also have important roles to play. When market participants comply promptly with regulatory obligations, resolve complaints fairly, and operate transparently, they help build stronger, more competitive, and more sustainable electricity markets.
Consumers should use established complaints resolution mechanisms, engage regulatory institutions in good faith, and exercise their rights responsibly while fulfilling their obligations.
“As we continue to implement the Electricity Act, 2023, my hope is that cooperation becomes our default approach, not something we turn to only when other options have failed. We should strengthen institutional relationships that will outlast individual office holders and build regulatory frameworks that will continue to serve Nigeria for many years to come.”
Above all, we should never lose sight of the people our decisions affect, as every regulatory action has real consequences for ordinary Nigerians, including the family that depends on reliable electricity at home, the small business trying to keep its doors open, the hospital caring for patients, the school educating the next generation, and the manufacturer whose operations support jobs and economic growth. Ultimately, that is why we are here. When our institutions work together, consumers receive better protection.
As we leave this engagement, I hope we do so with a renewed commitment to partnership, closer coordination, and, above all, the interests of the Nigerian consumer. That commitment will do more than strengthen our institutions. It will strengthen public confidence in the electricity sector and in the regulatory system established to protect those we serve.
News Credit to our media partner The Nation .
