By Hosea Parah
Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency NEMSA and the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission LASERC have agreed to deepen collaboration to strengthen electrical safety, enforce technical standards, and support the development of a reliable and sustainable electricity market in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LASERC, Mrs. Temitope George, to the NEMSA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs at NEMSA, Mrs. Ama Umoren, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Olusegun M. Adesayo, described the visit as timely in view of the ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s electricity sector following the Electricity Act 2023. He said the partnership would strengthen technical inspections, compliance monitoring, metering standards, capacity building, and consumer protection.
Adesayo noted that closer cooperation between both organisations would improve compliance with technical regulations, boost investor and consumer confidence, and enhance the safety and reliability of electricity supply across the country.
He also commended LASERC for its progress in developing Lagos State’s electricity regulatory framework and reaffirmed NEMSA’s statutory role in enforcing technical standards to protect lives, property, and critical national infrastructure.
Speaking during the visit, LASERC Managing Director, Mrs. Temitope George, said the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024 has laid the foundation for a competitive and sustainable electricity market through the establishment of LASERC, the Lagos Independent System Operator, and the Lagos State Electrification Agency. She proposed a LASERC–NEMSA Technical Safety Partnership to harmonise technical standards, conduct joint inspections, improve mini-grid safety, strengthen consumer protection, and enhance the professionalism of electrical artisans.
Both organisations expressed confidence that the proposed partnership would serve as a model for effective federal-state collaboration in implementing Nigeria’s electricity sector reforms. They also pledged to promote joint public awareness campaigns on electrical safety and capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving technical compliance, consumer confidence, and the overall efficiency of the nation’s electricity sector.