The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for closer collaboration among federal and state electricity regulators to protect consumers.

The commission warned that Nigeria’s power sector reforms will only deliver meaningful consumer protection if regulatory institutions work as a coordinated system rather than as competing agencies.

At a stakeholder engagement in Abuja yesterday, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 had created a new regulatory landscape in which state electricity regulatory commissions would increasingly share responsibility with federal agencies, making cooperation essential to safeguard consumers.

He argued that while regulators may have different statutory mandates, consumers are concerned only with reliable electricity supply, fair billing and effective resolution of complaints—not which agency has jurisdiction.

The FCCPC boss stressed that the commission would continue to complement, rather than compete with, sector regulators such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the emerging State Electricity Regulatory Commissions.

Using the suspension of the proposed replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid meters as an example, Bello said early collaboration among regulators prevented consumers from bearing the cost of replacing obsolete meters, protected them from estimated billing and ensured continuity of electricity supply.

According to him, the intervention demonstrated that effective consumer protection begins with preventing disputes before they arise, rather than merely resolving complaints after the fact.

He maintained that the success of Nigeria’s electricity reforms should be measured not by how individual regulators defend their jurisdictions but by how effectively they work together to build public confidence in the sector.

Bello also urged electricity distribution companies to comply promptly with regulatory directives and resolve customer complaints transparently, while encouraging consumers to utilise established complaint resolution mechanisms and fulfil their obligations responsibly.

He expressed confidence that stronger institutional partnerships among the FCCPC, NERC, NEMSA and state regulators would foster a more accountable, responsive and consumer-centred electricity market capable of supporting households, businesses and economic growth.