By Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA- Abia State Governor Alex Otti has signed into law, the Abia State Electricity Bill which empowers the State to regulate its electricity market.

Speaking while assenting to the executive bill at the Governor’s country home, Umuehim Nvosi, in Isiala Ngwa South council area, Otti explained that with the law, the government has been vested with the capacity to implement the law, stressing that the state would soon set up Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority, ASERA.

The Governor stated that the 64-page law would support the power initiatives of the government which will stand the test of time, and would also strengthen the plans of government to extend power to the remaining 8 council areas of the State which are not included under the Aba ring-fence arrangement with Geometric Power Limited covering 9 council areas.

He said; “This is a document that will stand the test of time. It is a document that will protect the investment of everyone that wants to invest in Abia. It is also a document that speaks renewable energy.

“The remaining 8 local government areas in the State that are not under the Aba ring-fence, we are working hard to bring them under the Umuahia ring-fence.

“So, this legislation would support that initiative and we are very close to signing an MoU moving forward in that direction. It also would protect prospective investors in power generation.

“In fact, our dream is that if we are able to provide all the required power for Abia, then we will be able to also wheel some power to other parts of the South East and South South regions to support them and earn some fees for doing that.

“When we started to look at the electricity bill, I think that was towards the end of 2023, given that the law had already been passed at the national level by the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

“It does appear that the arrangement was set up for Abia. The simple reason being that Abia State is probably the only State that has a ring fence area. I am not aware if there is any other State that has it.

“Of course, there is embedded power left, right and centre, but Aba Power was the only independent, integrated power integrated because it is from generation through transmission to distribution.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/otti-signs-abia-electricity-bill-into-law/