*The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility partners with the Nigeria Governors鈥� Forum to support state-led electricity market reforms across the country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigeria Governors鈥� Forum (NGF) has designed a major national initiative to support state-led electricity market reforms across the country.

The State Learning Workshop Series focused on Electricity Market Development, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and energy modelling software.

Workshops in Lagos, Calabar, Kano and Jos have been successfully completed, drawing participants from all the 36 States and the FCT, and setting a strong precedent for what lies ahead.

The sessions equipped policymakers, regulators and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable and investor-ready electricity markets at the state level, in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023.

Onyinye Madu, Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer at the British High Commission (BHC), Abuja, stated in reflecting on the significance of this initiative, Mr. Chijioke Chuku, Director-Legal/Head Power Desk at the Nigeria Governors鈥� Forum, stated: 鈥淣igeria鈥檚 electricity future depends on the capacity of our States to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision.

“Through the workshop series, we are equipping States not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets.

“The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.鈥�

According to the UK Mission in Nigeria, the sessions in the State Learning Workshops covered: The legal and regulatory pathways for setting up State Electricity Markets; Commercial models for private sector investment; Integration of State plans into Nigeria鈥檚 National IRP; and Practical training on the software platform for energy modelling.

The statement also noted the initiative drew from lessons learned in the course of UKNIAF鈥檚 work supporting the Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo State Governments鈥攅arly movers in electricity market development鈥攊n setting up their markets.

It also drew from experience gained in the course of UKNIAF providing technical support to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting both the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria鈥檚 first National Integrated Resource Plan, both of which were approved very recently.

As states are now empowered by the Electricity Act 2023, this series is a timely and strategic effort at ensuring capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria鈥檚 decentralised energy landscape, the UK Mission stated.