In a move aimed at creating a coherent national framework for Nigeria’s renewable energy sector, the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has announced plans to host a first-of-its-kind legislative conference focused on green energy policies and regulations.
The two-day event, scheduled for May 5 and 6, 2025, will be held in Lagos and is organised in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.
Speaking during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, the Committee Chairman and member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State, Afam Ogene, said the conference would bring together lawmakers, regulators, international partners, and private sector leaders to align on the country’s legislative direction in the energy transition.
“This conference aims at bringing together key stakeholders and industry players to discuss renewable energy legislations, energy transition, renewable energy financing, investment opportunities and related matters, towards developing a national legislative framework on renewable energy,” Ogene said.
He noted that recent changes in Nigeria’s constitutional and legal frameworks have created momentum that now requires legislative harmonisation across federal and state levels.
“Recent legislative reforms around the energy sector in Nigeria highlight this growing momentum, thus necessitating the convocation of the 1st Edition of the Legislative Conference on Renewable Energy in Nigeria,” he said.
Key among these reforms is the Fifth Alteration Bill 2022 (No.33), which has become law and now empowers states to legislate on electricity generation, transmission, and distribution within areas covered by the national grid—an authority that was previously restricted to off-grid systems.
Ogene also pointed to the Electricity Act 2023, signed into law in February 2024, as a transformative piece of legislation. “The Act permits states to issue licenses for all electricity activities (generation, transmission and distribution), encompassing lawmaking, regulation, and policy development across the entire power sector value chain,” he explained.
He added that the upcoming National Integrated Electricity Policy, 2025, provides states with a clearer path to develop their local electricity markets, with renewables—particularly solar-powered off-grid systems—playing a major role in reaching underserved populations.
The objectives of the conference include fostering dialogue among federal and state lawmakers, experts, and stakeholders; removing regulatory bottlenecks; and producing an actionable legislative roadmap with targeted reforms and investment incentives.
“The promotion of dialogue among legislators, experts, and stakeholders on critical legislative priorities, regulatory frameworks, and global best practices to accelerate renewable energy adoption in Nigeria,” he said, is a major priority of the gathering.
Other goals include “a coordinated platform for federal and state lawmakers to harmonise policies, address regulatory bottlenecks, and align efforts in advancing Nigeria’s renewable energy transition,” and “an action-oriented roadmap, by producing a clear, time-bound legislative action plan with prioritised reforms, investment incentives, and accountability mechanisms to drive renewable energy growth and grid modernisation.”
The conference will also have a global outlook, with representatives from the International Parliamentary Union and lawmakers from South Africa, Ghana, and Gambia scheduled to participate.
“We also confirmed participation from three African parliaments—South Africa, Ghana, and Gambia—showcasing the House Committee on Renewable Energy’s impact,” Ogene added.
Expected outcomes from the conference include a slate of policy and legislative reform proposals, increased clarity around investment guidelines for private and public actors, and enhanced collaboration between federal and state energy lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Ogene confirmed that the committee’s probe into past renewable energy investments, which was launched weeks ago, would resume when the National Assembly reconvenes next week.
Punch
