By Our Reporter
Former Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has commended the governments of Abia and Enugu States for their emerging approaches to electricity-sector development, describing their experiences as important examples of how state governments can take greater responsibility for improving power supply and supporting economic growth.
Onaiwu said the developments in the two states demonstrate that Nigeria’s electricity challenge requires more than dependence on the traditional national-grid model, stressing the importance of state-level regulation, private-sector investment, embedded generation, renewable energy and stronger distribution infrastructure.
He urged other governors across the country to study the approaches being adopted by Abia and Enugu and adapt relevant elements to the realities of their respective states.
ABIA: CONNECTING ELECTRICITY TO INDUSTRIAL GROWTH
Onaiwu highlighted the Alex Otti administration’s efforts to develop a more structured electricity framework in Abia State.
A major component has been the development of the Aba integrated power project operated by Geometric Power, which was commissioned in 2024 and is designed to generate and distribute electricity within the Aba Ring-Fenced Area, one of the country’s important commercial and industrial centres.
He noted that the importance of the project goes beyond electricity supply because reliable power has a direct bearing on the productivity and competitiveness of businesses operating in Aba.
“Aba is one of Nigeria’s great commercial and industrial centres. When businesses have access to more reliable electricity, the impact goes beyond the switch coming on. It affects production, jobs, investment and the ability of local businesses to compete,” Onaiwu said.
He also pointed to the establishment of the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority (ASERA) following the state’s electricity legislation, as well as the development of a framework for private-sector participation in mini-grid projects.
Another development he highlighted was the restoration of electricity to 33 communities in Ukwa West Local Government Area following years without electricity.
According to Onaiwu, such interventions demonstrate the importance of ensuring that electricity development reaches communities and economic centres outside major cities.
ENUGU: BUILDING A STATE ELECTRICITY MARKET
Onaiwu also commended the Peter Mbah administration in Enugu State for developing a legal and regulatory framework for a state electricity market.
Enugu’s electricity reforms include the enactment of the Enugu State Electricity Law and the establishment of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) to regulate electricity activities within the state.
The state has also moved to strengthen private-sector participation, including the issuance of a 20-year electricity distribution licence to MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited.
Onaiwu said the significance of the Enugu model lies in the attempt to create a clearer regulatory environment capable of attracting long-term investment while maintaining regulatory oversight.
The state has also pursued additional generation capacity and renewable-energy projects, including solar mini-grid initiatives targeted at underserved communities.
“The Enugu example is important because electricity reform is not only about generating more power. It is also about creating the legal, regulatory and investment environment that allows generation and distribution to expand sustainably,” he said.
A MESSAGE TO OTHER GOVERNORS
Onaiwu stressed that neither Abia nor Enugu should be presented as having completely solved the electricity challenge.
Rather, he said, their significance lies in demonstrating that state governments can move from being largely passive participants in the electricity sector to active drivers of solutions within the opportunities provided by Nigeria’s evolving electricity framework.
“I am not suggesting that every state should copy Abia or Enugu word for word. Every state has its own economic structure, geography and electricity needs. But governors should study what these states are doing, identify what can work in their own environments and move decisively.”
He called on state governments to explore a combination of embedded power generation, mini-grids, renewable energy, distribution investment, public-private partnerships and effective regulation.
According to him, reliable electricity should increasingly be treated as a critical component of economic planning.
“If we want industries to expand, small businesses to survive, young Nigerians to build enterprises, hospitals and schools to function effectively and communities to develop, then electricity must be treated as economic infrastructure, not merely as a social service.”
The former Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum further urged greater cooperation between the Federal Government, state governments, regulators, investors, electricity companies and local communities.
He said successful state electricity initiatives could complement the national electricity system and help create a more diversified and resilient power sector.
“Abia and Enugu are showing that states can begin to shape their own energy future. The next step is for other governors to look closely at these developments, learn from them and develop solutions that fit their own people and economies.”