The Federal Government could look to sell off the 11 power distribution companies through a re-privatisation process.
That is if the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, that is currently before the National Assembly, becomes law.
The National Assembly has already initiated a legislative process to enforce sweeping reforms that could see core investors in electricity distribution companies lose their stakes if they fail to improve their investment.
The amendment bill, sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), seeks to overhaul the 2023 Electricity Act by addressing regulatory gaps, as it warned that investors risk losing their stakes through share dilution, receivership, or outright re-privatisation if fresh capital is not injected into the sector within 12 months, following years of poor performance and a worsening debt crisis.
This clause comes into effect immediately after an assent is granted to the ongoing amendment of the Electricity Act 2023. The bill has passed its second reading and is currently undergoing further legislative action and discussions.
If passed into an Act, it will empower the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to compel core investors in the 11 successor Discos to inject fresh capital or face stiff regulatory action, including share dilution, receivership, or outright re-privatisation.
This was disclosed in the draft amendment to the Principal Act, seen by The PUNCH, on Monday. The proposed Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has already attracted condemnation from the Forum of Commissioners of Power and Energy, warning that the bill poses a serious threat to the country’s newly decentralised electricity market and could reverse key reforms achieved under the landmark Electricity Act of 2023.
The bill also gives the commission powers to impose sanctions, including dilution of shares or re-privatisation, on defaulting Discos, particularly those under receivership or financial distress.
