REPORTER: PEACE AGBO
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC has handed over its electricity market in Abia state to the State Electricity Regulatory Authority, ASERA after a six-month transition process from the Commission.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ASERA, Mr. Emeka Onyegbule who announced this to Newsmen at the Government House Umuahia said that the 2023 constitutional amendment which empowered States to generate, transmit and distribute Electricity within their territories facilitated the appropriation in Abia state.
According to him, Abia State responded promptly by enacting the Abia State Electricity Law in April 2025, laying the legal foundation for a State-owned Electricity market.
He explained that the new regulatory framework will bring electricity regulation closer to the people, eliminating delays associated with seeking redress from NERC.
Addressing concerns over estimated billing, Mr Onyegbule said ASERA would ensure fairness and transparency in billing practices, stressing that estimated bills would be closely monitored to prevent excessive charges.
Contributing the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday, said that the establishment of the State’s Electricity market remains critical to achieving the Abia 25-Year Development Plan and accelerating industrialization stressing that electricity remains central to economic growth, investment attraction and improved service delivery to consumers across the State.
Also, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Mr Okey Kanu, said the formal establishment of ASERA followed the enactment of the Electricity Law 2025 to transform the electricity sector.
He said that the development represents a major regulatory milestone and one of the signature achievements of the Governor Alex Otti administration in Abia’s Electricity ecosystem.
