The Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, successfully passed its second reading in the Senate on Wednesday. The bill’s general principles were presented during plenary by its sponsor, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia), who led the debate.
Senator Abaribe explained that the primary aim of the bill is to address significant challenges that have arisen since the enactment of the Electricity Act, 2023.
He highlighted that the bill seeks to introduce provisions to improve policy and regulatory coordination between national and sub-national governments, thereby reducing legal disputes and inconsistencies.
“The bill aims to strengthen sector financing amid a crippling debt crisis; criminalise vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure in response to rising sabotage incidents; foster industrial relations by balancing labour rights within essential services, in line with domestic and international best practices; and clarify transitional provisions concerning the transfer of intra-state electricity matters from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to state governments—particularly those affecting the national grid system and overlapping issues,” he said.
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Abaribe stressed that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) remains a pressing concern for both the current 10th Senate and previous assemblies. He described the power sector as “hanging on a cliff” and in urgent need of decisive intervention to prevent collapse.
The senator attributed the sector’s troubles to widespread operational constraints along the power value chain and a crippling debt burden amounting to trillions of Naira.
“This bill should be seen as part of broader efforts to rescue the power sector from imminent collapse,” he asserted.
Senator Garba Maidoki (APC-Kebbi) voiced his frustration, saying, “I cannot imagine, as a senator, not being able to pay my power bill for one month. Then what am I working here [at the National Assembly] for? What about the ordinary person? We need to ensure electricity is generated at a rate that Nigerians can afford and enjoy these natural resources.”
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (APC-Oyo) added: “Mr President, critical electricity infrastructure is one of the biggest problems we face today. How can you install infrastructure, pay for it, only to have it stolen? And when caught, the perpetrators are taken to court. Without real punitive measures, as the bill’s mover suggested, this cycle will continue.”
Similarly, Senator Yunus Akintunde (APC-Oyo) stated: “Gencos and Discos are not contractors; they are privately owned companies operating independently. The main problem in Nigeria’s electricity supply is licensing: some to generate electricity, some to distribute it, while government manages transmission. The transmission infrastructure is old and no longer effective. I have long argued that government funds should not be used to buy transformers.”
In his closing remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the Chairman and members of the Committee on Power for the bill, expressing hope that issues affecting Nigerians would be addressed during the public hearing stage.
“Without electricity, industrial growth in the country is impossible. Everyone is eagerly awaiting transformation in this sector,” he said.
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