The country’s apex regulatory body in the electricity sector, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has transferred the power to regulate the Gombe electricity market to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (GOSERC).
The transfer of the regulatory powers was conveyed in the Order issued by the Commission in compliance with the provisions of the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended).
Under the Electricity Act 2023, NERC was empowered to retain its role as the central sector regulator with regulatory oversight on the inter-state/ international generation, transmission, supply, trading and system operations.
Also, the Act mandates any state government that intends to establish and regulate intra-state electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests to NERC to enable it transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the State Regulator.
Preparatory to its assumption of that role, the Gombe State government constituted the Gombe State Electricity Regulatory Commission (GOSERC) headed by Dr Usman Arabi with the mandate to leverage on the opportunities provided by the Electricity Act 2023 to strengthen electricity regulation, improve service delivery, attract investment and expand access to reliable power supply across state.
The Commission would take charge and control of the regulation of the state’s electricity sector under the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023 which ceded powers to the states to oversight intra-state markets, particularly in terms of licensing, tariffs administration and consumer protection.
The Act empowers states to create their own laws for electricity, moving away from the existing centralized federal control.
Based on the provisions of the Act, NERC said the Gombe State government duly notified NERC and requested for the transfer of regulatory powers to oversight of the intra-state electricity market in the State.
Consequently, the Commission, directed Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED) to incorporate a subsidiary (JED SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intra-state supply and distribution of electricity in Gombe State from JED.
It said JED shall complete the incorporation of JED SubCo within 60 days from 7th January 2026, noting that the subcompany shall apply for and obtain licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from GOSERC, among other directives.
NERC said all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by July 6, 2026.
