Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigeria’s 36 state governors to stop relying solely on the Federal Government to address electricity challenges, saying states now have the legal authority to generate and distribute their own power.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday at the National Stakeholders Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023, held at the State House Banquet Hall in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
The Vice President stressed that Nigeria could not develop a competitive industrial economy without a reliable electricity supply for businesses, households and public institutions.
According to him, the Electricity Act 2023 empowers state governments to establish and regulate electricity markets within their respective jurisdictions, subject to applicable constitutional and legal provisions.
“The Act empowers States to develop and regulate intrastate electricity markets within the applicable constitutional and statutory framework,” he said.
Shettima added that state governments had the opportunity to tackle their electricity challenges independently rather than continually waiting for the Federal Government to provide solutions.
“State governors can fix electricity without the Federal Government. The size, diversity and endowments of this nation demand this decentralisation,” he stated.
He maintained that electricity supply should become a shared responsibility across the country, with state governments embracing innovation and accountability.
“Our States must shed the habit of waiting for the Federal Government to provide every answer,” he added.
Shettima also highlighted the energy resources available in different parts of the country, pointing to solar power potential in Sokoto, Borno and Katsina states, natural gas resources in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states, and hydroelectric power opportunities in Niger and Kebbi states.
He urged governors to convert these resources into investments capable of supporting agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.
The Vice President, however, warned that the existence of the law alone would not guarantee electricity supply. He called on states that had yet to establish their own electricity regulatory bodies to do so without delay.
