Nigeria’s electricity regulator is facing what experts describe as its worst governance crisis in years, with the tenure of the current Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) leadership set to lapse just as a bitter controversy rages over President Bola Tinubu’s preferred successor.
The tenure of NERC Chairman/CEO Dr Musiliu Olalekan Oseni ends on December 1, 2025, while that of Vice-Chairman and several commissioners will expire between December 2025 and February 2026, raising the prospect of a total regulatory shutdown if replacements are not confirmed in time.
Under the Electricity Act 2023, the chairman is appointed for five years and commissioners for four-year terms, with reappointments expected before current tenures lapse. Yet multiple positions could fall vacant within months, and the law provides no clear “acting” mechanism for the full board.
In August, Tinubu nominated Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat, a 39-year-old former local government chairman, as NERC Chairman/CEO, alongside Abubakar Yusuf (Commissioner, Consumer Affairs) and Dr Fouad Olayinka Animashun (Commissioner, Finance & Management Services), all subject to Senate confirmation.
However, Ramat’s August 8 arrival at NERC headquarters, reportedly flanked by political supporters and security personnel, sparked uproar among staff and industry stakeholders, who say he attempted to assume office without Senate confirmation and after an earlier directive announcing him as “acting chairman” was quietly withdrawn.
The Presidency later clarified that his nomination remained subject to legislative approval and that the acting chairman retained authority until then — a walk-back critics say underscores how the “power grab” breached the NERC Act and undermined institutional integrity.
“The controversial installation of Engineer Abdullahi Ramat… wasn’t merely a leadership transition; it was a constitutional crisis in real time,” said Adetayo Adegbemle, Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria. He warned the episode is “not just illegal — it’s dangerous” for investor confidence in a sector already battling a severe liquidity crunch and chronic grid instability.
Analysts argue that political nominations have repeatedly trumped technical merit at NERC, weakening oversight and hobbling reforms envisaged under the Electricity Act 2023. Several experts interviewed urged Tinubu to “look inwards” and elevate seasoned professionals from within the commission to provide stability and credibility.
They note that the South West, North Central and North East have yet to produce a NERC chairman, cautioning that bypassing these zones again could fuel political resentment and further erode the commission’s legitimacy.
With key tenures ticking down and the Senate in recess, stakeholders warn that delays in confirming a new, technically competent board could paralyse critical decisions on tariffs, licensing, market settlement and consumer protection — exactly when Nigeria’s fragile power sector can least afford regulatory drift.
