The Nigerian Senate has initiated debate on a proposed amendment to the Electricity Act 2023, citing mounting concerns over the imminent collapse of the country’s power sector.
Presenting the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised alarm over the worsening state of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), highlighting severe financial burdens, regulatory conflicts, and infrastructure sabotage as key threats.
“This bill is not just a technical fix,” Abaribe told fellow lawmakers. “It is a survival manual for Nigeria’s power sector. Without immediate legislative intervention, NESI is hanging on a cliff.”
The proposed amendment introduces 28 clauses aimed at strengthening the legal and institutional foundation of the sector. Key provisions include clarifying regulatory roles, criminalising electricity infrastructure vandalism, reforming labour policies, and enhancing consumer protections.
Abaribe noted that a Senate-initiated probe into NESI had uncovered troubling findings, which, though not yet formally presented, pointed to systemic failures. “Our epileptic power supply is a symptom of deeper dysfunction. This legislation is an attempt to rescue the sector from a slow but certain collapse,” he said.
Assuring his colleagues that the bill would not impose new costs on the federal budget, Abaribe stated, “Instead, it will curb financial losses, streamline operations, and rebuild investor confidence.”
He called for swift passage of the bill, urging senators to treat the reform as urgent and essential to national development. Stakeholders across the electricity value chain are expected to track the bill closely as it advances through legislative stages.
