The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has authorized the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority ASERA, to become the statutory regulator for electricity sector activities in the state.
The Chairman and CEO of the ASERA, Mr Emeka Onyegbule, who disclosed this on Wednesday at the Government House, Umuahia, said the authority to regulate the electricity market in Abia State takes effect from December 24, 2025.
He recalled that Nigeria’s Constitution was amended in 2023 to enable the states to undertake electricity generation, distribution and transmission.
According to Onyegbule, following the enactment of the law and the birth of the state electricity markets, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in Abuja gave an interim order permitting the states to go ahead and begin the establishment of regulatory institutions.
“So effectively from today, the responsibility and the mandate to regulate oversight and manage the Abia State electricity market falls on ASERA and no longer NERC,” he said.
He explained that all activities within the electricity value-chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and trading now fall under the direct oversight and regulation of ASERA.
Onyegbule added that complaints and conflicts involving consumers and power distributors would henceforth be handled by ASERA, and no more NERC.
Also speaking, Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said that the enactment of the Electricity Act of 2025 by the Abia State government made the progress achieved in the electricity sub-sector possible.
He explained that ASERA has been empowered to issue metering and billing licenses to encourage private investment in meter deployment.
