The Nigerian Energy Sector Reforms and the Question of Energy Choices of Consumers

Nigeria has embarked on a series of policy and legal reforms in the energy sector and also created an avenue for energy transition. Consumers, however, face the challenges of choice in energy consumption in the sector. Particularly, consumers cannot determine the sources of their energy supply. This chapter examines the extent to which the newly passed Electricity Act 2023 and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Act 2018 can be used to enable consumers to determine their choices of energy. The chapter argues that the previous Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSR) 2005 had limited provisions that could enhance the choices of consumers. The coming into force of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the Electricity Act 2023 are developments that should create avenues for enhanced rights of consumers to make choices if the enabling environment is reinforced in addition to the effective operation of the FCCPC Act 2018. The chapter, therefore, proposes that regulatory reform should be put in place to enhance the energy choices of consumers in Nigeria.