Adetayo Adegbemle, power sector analyst and executive director of PowerUp Nigeria has raised concern over the installation of Abdullahi Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), stating that it has sent shockwaves through the nation’s power sector, revealing deep fractures in governance and threatening to shatter fragile investor confidence.
Adegbemle, in a document sent to BusinessDay said that Ramat’s takeover, displacing acting leadership despite lacking Senate confirmation and occurring after a retracted presidential directive, blatantly violates the NERC Act (2005).
“Ramat’s dramatic arrival at NERC headquarters on August 8, 2025—reportedly flanked by political supporters and security personnel—wasn’t merely a leadership transition; it was a constitutional crisis unfolding in real-time. His forceful takeover, displacing acting leadership despite lacking Senate confirmation and occurring after a retracted presidential directive, blatantly violates the NERC Act (2005).
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“This act mandates legislative approval for such appointments, making Ramat’s resumption an assault on institutional integrity. The presidency’s subsequent clarification, stating his nomination remained ‘subject to Senate confirmation’ with the acting chairman retaining authority until then, only highlighted the illegitimacy of the power grab,” he said.
He explained that with the Senate recessed until late September, the vacuum invites legal chaos, potentially nullifying future critical decisions on tariffs or licenses adding that the reaction from investors and industry stakeholders has been one of undisguised alarm.
Adegbemle said that international partners view independent, rule-based regulation as non-negotiable for capital deployment, especially in a sector grappling with a severe liquidity crisis and the ever-present threat of grid collapse.
He decried that Ramat’s lack of direct power-sector experience is compounded by the reliance on political patronage rather than due process for his installation.
” Ramat’s entry, perceived as regulatory capture orchestrated by shadowy political figures, signals that NERC—the crucial referee—may now be compromised. For the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), heavily reliant on foreign investment, this incident risks transforming the sector into a politically toxic asset class, freezing urgently needed investments in generation and distribution infrastructure.
“While Ramat, aged 39, brings credentials suggesting potential for modernization—a PhD in Strategic Management, experience with blockchain-driven revenue systems, and energy-efficient initiatives from his tenure as Ungogo LGA chairman—his legitimacy is fatally undermined. His lack of direct power-sector experience is compounded by the reliance on political patronage rather than due process for his installation.
“His popular pledge to compel DisCos and GenCos to do the right thing and end consumer exploitation through opaque billing resonates with a frustrated public. However, without confirmed authority, any enforcement actions risk judicial nullification, further delaying essential tariff reforms and consumer protections.
“Restoring stability demands decisive action. First, President Tinubu must publicly and unequivocally reaffirm that Ramat remains only a nominee until Senate confirmation, distancing the administration from this constitutional overreach.
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“Second, the Senate must expedite Ramat’s confirmation hearing upon its return on September 23, subjecting his competence and commitment to NERC’s statutory independence to rigorous scrutiny. Finally, Ramat himself must immediately convene investors, consumer advocates, and utilities, pledging adherence to proper governance and outlining a transparent agenda to rebuild trust,” he said.
Adegbemle further noted that NERC is a regulator, not a battleground, stressing that the resolution of this impasse will either catalyze long-overdue reform or entrench a decay that investors simply cannot afford to ignore.
