Nigerian Senate Debates Electricity Act Amendments to Revamp Power Sector Senate President Akpabio Defends Lawmakers Amid Corruption Claims

The Nigerian Senate is actively engaged in debating sweeping reforms to the country’s electricity sector through amendments to the Electricity Act, 2023 aimed at overhauling the power industry and fostering industrial growth.

The Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), was recently read for the second time and proposes 28 new clauses to address the sector’s deep-rooted challenges.

During plenary sessions, Senator Abaribe described the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) as hanging on a cliff due to a crippling debt crisis running into trillions of naira persistent vandalism of infrastructure regulatory ambiguities and strained relations between federal and state electricity authorities.

The proposed amendments seek to criminalise electricity infrastructure vandalism, clarify regulatory roles between national and subnational governments, strengthen institutional frameworks, and improve consumer protections and subsidy mechanisms.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while supporting the bill, used the opportunity to defend lawmakers against accusations of corruption.

People think we are here in the Senate to make money, not knowing that we are here to sacrifice for future generations Akpabio said.

He emphasized the critical importance of electricity for Nigeria’s industrial growth and urged Nigerians to recognize the Senate’s commitment to meaningful reforms.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Power for further legislative scrutiny and is expected to return to plenary within six weeks for additional debate and possible passage.

The ongoing legislative effort reflects the Senate’s resolve to rescue Nigeria’s fragile power sector from imminent collapse and create a more stable and efficient electricity supply system that can underpin economic development and industrial expansion.

As the debate continues, stakeholders and industry observers are watching closely, hopeful that the reforms will bring clarity accountability and sustainability to Nigeria’s electricity landscape.