The Federal Government may sell the 11 power distribution companies through a re-privatisation process if the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, 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 correspondents, 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.
It was reported that there are 11 Discos in Nigeria that service different regions across the country. They include Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.
Others are Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, and Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
Under the new law, a comprehensive framework must be developed within 12 months to overhaul the financial structure of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, with a strong focus on attracting long-term local currency investments and phasing out what the bill describes as “unstructured and regressive subsidies.”
