Nigeria attains full membership of international energy regulators                  

Nigeria’s membership of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) was on Monday upgraded from associate status to full membership at the ongoing general assembly of the international organisation holding in Warsaw, Poland.

Anthony Akah, acting chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), was also at the forum elected member of a seven-man committee of the body of independent regulatory bodies from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the United States.

Other members include Amer Saif Al Hinai of Oman, Rolands Irklis of Latvia, Maria Manicuta of Romania, Attila Nyikos of Hungary, Matt Ots of Estonia and Mustafa Yilmaz of Turkey.

NERC says Nigeria’s membership of ERRA has been beneficial in terms of exchange of experience with other regulatory agencies through trainings, internship and knowledge sharing among member states.

According to a statement signed by Michael Faloseyi, head of media unit at NERC, the body has on a number of occasions conducted trainings and seminars within and outside the country for its staff in areas of managing an emerging privatised electricity market, tariff setting, incentive regulation and benchmarking, among others.

Countries that gained upgraded status along with Nigeria are Cameroon, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.