Israel Oluyemi
The Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity (CARE) and its National Coordinator, Mr. Chinedu Bosah, call on the federal government to urgently reinstate the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) consumer forums.
They say the move is necessary to rebuild confidence in the country’s troubled power sector.
Bosah says the group demands the immediate restoration of the forums and an end to policies that deepen privatisation.
According to him, Nigeria’s power system “needs massive public investment and democratic oversight, not further privatisation,” adding that “continuing privatisation is suicidal.”
The coalition explains that the closure of NERC’s forums leaves millions of electricity users without any form of consumer protection, while state regulatory bodies remain weak and disorganised.
Bosah notes that this gap exposes many Nigerians to unfair billing, exploitation, and poor service delivery, worsening frustrations in a sector that already struggles to meet demand.
He says privatisation “has trapped the sector in debt and inefficiency,” pointing out that “over 6.5 million households remain unmetered” and “over 90 million Nigerians still lack access to the national grid.”
Bosah makes these remarks in Lagos during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He delivers the message on Thursday as Nigeria marks its 65th Independence Anniversary, a moment he describes as a time to reflect on “a shameful outcome” of mismanagement and underfunding in the power sector.
CARE maintains that reinstating the NERC consumer forums will strengthen regulatory oversight, protect consumers, and give them a platform to challenge unfair practices until state-level agencies become fully operational.
The coalition also urges the government to “end privatisation, renationalise critical assets, and include workers, experts, and consumers in sector management,” arguing that only a public-driven approach can guarantee “affordable and reliable power” for all Nigerians.