The governor of Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has appointed the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Prof. Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, as the acting Chairman of the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC), in a bid to facilitate its oversight functions and accelerate the opening of the state’s electricity market.
Also appointed by the governor are Mr. Ayanniyi Taiwo as acting Secretary; Engr. Solomon Oyekunle, acting Technical Member; Hon. Abiodun Adedoja, acting Strategy Member; and Mrs. Omolara Omoremi, acting Legal Member.
A statement by the acting Chairman which was released by the governor’s Special Adviser (Media), Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, indicated that the appointments are significant in the operationalisation of the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC).
According to the chairman, the step “marks a major step in the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 and the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Law 2024, which empowers Oyo State to regulate its intrastate electricity market under Nigeria’s evolving dual-tier regulatory framework.”
Stating that the appointments in acting capacity were aimed at “driving the institutional take-off of the commission and establishing foundational regulatory systems, licensing frameworks, compliance mechanisms, tariff oversight methodologies, consumer protection architecture, and internal governance structures,” Shangodoyin said that the governor would make substantive appointments upon the formal passage of the Oyo State Electricity Market Bill into Law.
Shangodoyin explained the oversight functions of the OYSERC, stating that the Commission would focus on the licensing of generation, distribution, embedded generation, captive power, and mini-grid projects within Oyo State, tariff regulation and service band oversight to prevent arbitrary upgrades, consumer complaint resolution and protection mechanisms, monitoring, compliance, and enforcement of service standards, promotion of embedded generation and local electricity market development and enforcement of technical and safety standards.
He said: “By decentralising regulatory oversight, Oyo State is now positioned to respond more quickly to electricity service gaps, strengthen accountability of operators, and encourage private sector investment in local power solutions.
“As a Commission, we have recorded some achievements within the initial operational period, including the receiving and reviewing of consumer petitions, engaging constructively with distribution operators and stakeholders, facilitating resolution of select electricity disputes, initiating alignment with the Oyo State Electricity Priority Plan & Implementation Roadmap (2026–2031) and advancing institutional systems, staffing, and administrative frameworks.
“Our focus is to open up the Oyo Electricity Market and we are positioning the state to encourage embedded and distributed generation, attract private sector investment, improve service delivery and accountability, strengthen consumer confidence, accelerate infrastructure expansion and enhance power reliability across the state.
“This is a milestone that underscores Oyo State’s commitment to regulatory clarity, institutional robustness, financial sustainability, and improved electricity access for residents, businesses, and public institutions.”
In a related development, the statement indicated that on February 12, the OYSERC held a high-level technical meeting with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja to ensure regulatory coordination and seamless market transition.
The statement read: “The engagement focused on jurisdictional clarity under the Electricity Act 2023, licensing and regulatory frameworks, tariff oversight and service band accountability, consumer protection systems, compliance monitoring and enforcement, digital regulatory platforms and data integration and institutional capacity development.
“The meeting reaffirmed the spirit of cooperative federalism embedded in Nigeria’s electricity reform and laid the groundwork for structured collaboration between federal and state regulators.”
