Idara Jerome, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State is moving towards taking direct control of electricity regulation within its territory, with the state government setting February 17, 2027, as the deadline for completing the transition from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The Commissioner for Power, Iniobong Robson, disclosed this on Friday during a ministerial briefing in Uyo, explaining that the transition would give the state regulatory authority over electricity distribution, licensing and service standards within its boundaries.
He said the state had received a regulatory order, NERC/2026/087, issued on August 18, 2026, under Section 230 of the Electricity Act 2023, making Akwa Ibom the 17th state to secure approval to regulate its electricity market.
Under the arrangement, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) is expected to incorporate a subsidiary specifically for electricity distribution in Akwa Ibom within 60 days and obtain an operating licence from the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Regulatory Commission (AKSERC).
Robson said Governor Umo Eno had already engaged the PHED board on the transition, urging the company to cooperate with the state to ensure that the process was completed within the stipulated period.
He, however, assured electricity consumers that the regulatory change would not interrupt existing electricity supply, billing or customer service arrangements.
“Customers should expect no disruption to service, billing, or customer care as a result of this transition. Any changes will be communicated well in advance,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the state had established the institutional framework required to assume regulatory responsibility, including AKSERC and Ibom Electricity Holding Limited (IEHL), which would manage the government’s investments across the electricity value chain.
The five-member board of AKSERC, chaired by Arit Okon Uya, was inaugurated on June 4, 2026, following its screening and confirmation by the State House of Assembly.
The commission is expected to regulate transactions between electricity buyers and sellers, issue licences, enforce operational standards and oversee compliance by market operators.
Robson said the state was also pursuing private-sector participation in the rehabilitation and expansion of Ibom Power Company and the distribution utility, disclosing that proposals submitted by prospective investors were currently being evaluated.
He said the government’s intention was to attract private capital, technical expertise and efficient management into the electricity sector rather than sell off its power assets.
The commissioner specifically dismissed suggestions that the incorporation of IEHL signalled plans to divest the state government’s interests in Ibom Power Company and Four Power Consortium.
“Let me restate, for the avoidance of doubt, that the state government has not at all sold and has no intention of divesting from Ibom Power Company Limited,” he said.
He added that the government was working towards securing a dependable long-term gas supply agreement for the power plant, explaining that the proposed concession arrangements would provide the financial and commercial framework for sustained electricity generation.
“We expect that the concession will put in place the financing and commercial arrangements that will ensure the plant is fed for the power it produces,” Robson said.
He said the outcome of the evaluation of private-sector proposals would be made public after the process had been concluded, with the concession arrangements expected to be completed between the last quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027.
Beyond the grid-connected electricity market, the commissioner disclosed that the government was developing an off-grid programme to extend electricity access to communities with little or no connection to the existing distribution network.
He said the initiative would include solar home systems for households and small businesses, as well as training programmes to equip young people with skills in solar installation, operation and maintenance.
The Akwa Ibom State Electrification Agency is expected to coordinate the intervention, although its organisational structure and operational responsibilities are awaiting the governor’s approval.
Robson said the agency would complement the work of AKSERC in expanding electricity access, particularly in underserved communities.
He added that the state electricity regulator was expected to publish its initial regulations before the end of 2026, covering engineering codes, licensing procedures, customer service standards and tariff methodology.
The commissioner said the reform programme was anchored on the Electricity Act 2023, the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Policy and the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Law 2025, which provides for the establishment of AKSERC and the state electrification agency.
He recalled that Governor Eno unveiled the electricity policy and law at the Akwa Ibom Electricity Summit in Ikot Ekpene on September 18 and 19, 2025, where he pledged to develop a state electricity market and ensure that every household had access to quality electricity by 2034.
To coordinate implementation, the governor constituted a seven-member committee in April 2026, chaired by his Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Adviser, Enefiok Johnson, with the Ministries of Power and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as representatives of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), participating.
Robson, however, cautioned that the regulatory transition and other reforms would not translate into immediate improvements in electricity supply across all communities, stressing that the sector required substantial investment, technical capacity and effective regulation.
“No reform will light every home overnight,” he said, urging residents to protect electricity infrastructure, report vandalism and participate in consultations on tariffs and service standards.
He maintained that the success of the proposed electricity market would depend on a system in which consumers paid for the electricity they consumed while operators were held accountable for the quality of service delivered.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nsibiet John, commended the Ministry of Power and its subsidiaries for what he described as improvements in electricity supply, citing the union’s premises as an example.
John said electricity supply to the NUJ premises had previously been poor before the ministry and its subsidiaries intervened.
“I stand as a testimony to the fact that power supply in the NUJ was always very terrible and very poor until recently when the Ministry of Power and the subsidiaries intervened,” he said.
“I think we can boast of so many hours of electricity supply.”
He also acknowledged the provision of transformers to some communities, urging the ministry to sustain its interventions.
The NUJ chairman said the media would continue to report developments in the sector and educate residents on the responsibilities of the state government and electricity distribution companies.
