The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, (NEMSA), and the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission, LASERC, have agreed to strengthen joint enforcement of technical standards as Nigeria’s power sector adjusts to the Electricity Act 2023.
The commitment was made on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by LASERC’s leadership to NEMSA’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking, Engr. Olusegun Adesayo, NEMSA’s Managing Director/Chief Executive and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, said the engagement came at a critical time. Noting that the expanding role of state electricity regulators under the new law requires closer federal and state coordination to protect lives, property and critical infrastructure.
According to Adesayo, the collaboration will focus on practical areas including electrical safety enforcement, technical inspections, compliance monitoring, metering standards, capacity building and consumer protection.
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He added that stronger alignment between both agencies should improve regulatory compliance, boost investor confidence and support a more reliable electricity supply nationwide.
The NEMSA boss described LASERC as a key partner in Lagos, which he said has made notable progress in building a regulatory framework for its market. He restated that NEMSA remains the statutory agency charged with enforcing technical standards and regulations for electrical installations, meters and other electrical equipment under the Electricity Act 2023.
Earlier, the LASERC’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs. Temitope George, said strategic partnerships are essential to developing a commercially viable and sustainable electricity market in Lagos. She recalled that the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024, signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, established LASERC, the Lagos Independent System Operator, and the Lagos State Electrification Agency to drive reform.
George highlighted Lagos’ scale and energy challenge, as she said the state accounts for nearly 30 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and has a population of over 20 million, yet continues to face significant electricity supply gaps. She therefore proposed a LASERC-NEMSA Technical Safety Partnership to harmonize standards and operational practice.
Under the proposed framework, both agencies will develop joint inspection protocols, maintain shared databases of certified electrical contractors, expand public safety awareness, and strengthen compliance for mini-grids.
George also pushed for artisan training to improve professionalism, ethics and adherence to safety rules, alongside multilingual public campaigns in English, Yoruba and Pidgin on overload prevention, safe installations and the risks of electricity theft and meter tampering.
Both chief executives expressed optimism that the partnership can become a model for federal-state cooperation under the Electricity Act 2023 and the Lagos Electricity Law 2024. They said the effort is expected to deliver safer electrical infrastructure, a more skilled workforce, greater consumer confidence and a more efficient market across Nigeria.
