Vitus Ikenna, National President of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), has advocated stricter regulatory oversight and professional compliance in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.
The LECAN President, represented by Abdullahi Ibrahim, National Public Relations Officer, made the appeal during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy.
According to the association, it has the capacity to monitor electrical projects and renewable energy contracts across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
In a presentation to lawmakers and stakeholders, the LECAN President maintained that the association remains committed to ensuring safety, quality, and value for money in the execution of green energy projects nationwide.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Afam Ogene, said the public hearing is probing three critical areas.
According to him, these include the domiciliation of green energy projects with inappropriate entities (HR.80/10/2025), foreign grants and investments received in the renewable energy sector from 2015 to date (HR.259/06/2024), and the utilisation of renewable energy in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (HR.221/12/2024).
Ikenna stressed that these issues are central to safeguarding public resources and ensuring that renewable energy initiatives deliver sustainable benefits to Nigerians.
He further noted that LECAN derives its legitimacy from Section 176(m) of the Electricity Act 2023 (as amended), which mandates the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to issue competency certificates to electrical installation personnel.
“The association’s membership comprises certified electrical practitioners operating across the 36 states and 774 local government areas of the federation”, he said.
He explained that LECAN has been working closely with NEMSA and the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to enforce statutory technical standards and promote the use of quality electrical materials and equipment.
Speaking on the domiciliation of green energy projects with inappropriate entities, the LECAN President warned that assigning projects to unqualified bodies could result in substandard installations, financial losses, and safety hazards.
He told lawmakers that renewable energy systems, if improperly installed, pose serious risks to lives and property.
He therefore urged the committee to ensure that only competent, NEMSA-certified electrical contractors are engaged in executing government-funded renewable energy projects across the country.
As part of its recommendations, LECAN proposed that the committee issue a Renewable Energy Quality Installation Directive to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies currently utilising or planning to adopt renewable energy solutions.
The association also offered to partner with MDAs by providing advisory services on quality and standards, assisting in the assessment of technical submissions and procurement processes, supplying certified contractors and technicians, and supervising and monitoring installations to ensure compliance with safety and regulatory benchmarks.
Meanwhile, the LECAN President emphasised that the association’s submissions were made in good faith to protect lives, ensure project stability, and guarantee value for public funds.
He raised concerns over the absence of strong prosecutorial powers for NEMSA against violators of safety standards and called for stringent legislative action to strengthen enforcement mechanisms nationwide.
He added that empowering professional bodies like LECAN to support regulatory agencies would significantly enhance accountability and sustainability in Nigeria’s growing renewable energy sector.
