By Izunna Okafor, Onitsha
The ongoing efforts to establish a robust and efficient electricity market in Anambra State has received another significant boost as the Anambra State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ASERC) took its ongoing public consultation forum to Onitsha, with FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited actively participating and reaffirming its commitment to improved service delivery to Ndị Anambra.
Coming barely one week after a the Awka edition of the event, the two-day interactive sessions which held on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Classic Hall of the Archbishop C.J. Patterson Auditorium, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, featured public consultation on the draft Customer Protection Regulations 2026 and public consultation on draft Licensing & Investment Regulations 2026 respectively
The forum brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including electricity consumers, engineers, industry players, government representatives, and members of the business community, all of whom converged to review and make inputs into the proposed 2026 Electricity Regulations aimed at strengthening the Anambra electricity market.
The FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited was fully represented at the two-day event by a delegation of the top Management team, including the MD/CEO of the company, Mr. Okechukwu Okafor; the Chief Technical Officer of the company, Dr. Emeka Egbujor; the Chief Commercial Officer of the company, Dr. Nnenna Obi; as well as the company’s District Business Manager for Onitsha District, Comrade Umunna Jaachukwu Augustine; and the Head of Business Intelligence Unit (BIU), Mr. Olabisi Odumosu.
Declaring the event open, the Chairman and Managing Director of ASERC, Prof. Frank Okafor, said the consultation was organized to ensure that the proposed regulatory framework reflects the realities of the state’s evolving power sector, as well as the concerns of Ndị Anambra and the electricity providers. He emphasized that the Commission remains committed to transparency, inclusiveness, and due process, noting that the regulations would set clear standards for operators while also protecting the rights of consumers.
He also called for stronger collaboration between electricity distribution companies and customers, assuring that the Commission would enforce compliance with the Anambra State Electricity Law, 2025, and the proposed regulations upon their eventual adoption.
A key highlight of the consultation was the point-by-point presentation of the proposed regulatory framework by ASERC’s Executive Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Planning, Regulation and Strategy, Engr. Nosike Emmanuel, who provided insights into the provisions of the draft regulations. His presentation covered critical areas such as customer protection, metering and billing standards, licensing requirements, connection and disconnection procedures, and timelines for service delivery and dispute resolution; as well as the key provisions of the proposed Licensing and Investment Regulations.
Participants at the forum actively contributed to the deliberations, offering suggestions and recommendations to improve the draft framework, while also raising concerns on issues bordering on billing, metering, power supply, and service responsiveness.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Okechukwu Okafor, addressed key concerns relating to electricity supply, estimated billing, and other sector-wide challenges.
Concerning the prevailing drop in electricity supply in Anambra, the FirstPower MD, who reiterated that the situation is a nation-wide problem, explained that the company operates within a complex national grid system often constrained by generation and transmission limitations, noting that any challenges that affect the system (such as drop in power generation which is the case at the moment) significantly affect power supply to end users by distribution companies, such as FirstPower.
He further highlighted the company’s ongoing interventions aimed at improving service delivery, including the ongoing plan towards starting an embedded power generation in the state, to augment what the state is getting from the national grid.
As part of the company’s measures towards addressing the issue of estimated billing in the state, the FirstPower MD revealed the establishment of its own meter lab in Onitsha with the production capacity of about 2,500 meters daily, to accelerate meter deployment to customers and close the metering gap across the state.
The MD also advised and harped on the need for customers to follow approved procedures to apply for meters to enable timely and efficient processing and deployment.
Also addressed by the MD was the growing incidence of electricity theft in the state, as he further decried the high rate of meter bypass, tampering, vandalism of power infrastructure, and non-payment for electricity consumed, describing the trend as a major setback to service improvement.
According to him, such practices have resulted in significant operational losses and continue to undermine efforts to provide stable and reliable electricity supply. He therefore called for stronger collaboration with stakeholders, including communities, security agencies, and the media, to curb the menace.
In their separate reactions, participants and other stakeholders at the event commended ASERC for decentralizing the consultation process and creating an avenue for direct engagement with electricity users. Some of the participants, including the Southeast Zonal Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers, Engr. Mmaduabuchukwu Okoye; the representative of the Onitsha Regional Manager of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Engr. Chinedu Ifeatu Victor, shared insights and contributed technical perspectives to the discussions and the proposed regulations.
Also speaking, the Convener of Onitsha Business Hangout, Mr. Ifeanyi Ogwaji, appreciated the initiative but called for proper timing and scheduling, as well as church announcements and improved general awareness ahead of such engagements subsequently, to ensure wider participation.
The event also had in attendance other key officials and Executive Commissioners of ASERC, including Barr. Chijioke Nnaemeka Obi, Dr. Geoffrey Nwokoye, and Dr. Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, as well as the Commission’s Secretary, Mr. Nwike Nwaka.
Climax of the consultations include extensive question-and-answer session, stakeholder submissions, and cross-sector interactions, all geared towards refining the draft regulations and ensuring they align with the needs of both consumers and service providers.
For the FirstPower Team, the engagement further demonstrated the company’s readiness to work closely with regulators and customers in addressing existing challenges while also contributing meaningfully to the development of a more responsive, viable and reliable electricity market in Anambra State.
More photos from the event:
