The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has declared that the state is no longer vulnerable to recurrent collapses of Nigeria’s national electricity grid, following strategic investments by his administration in alternative and renewable energy sources, particularly waste-to-energy solutions, aimed at ensuring stable and independent power supply for residents.
The governor’s remarks come against the backdrop of persistent nationwide power disruptions, including the most recent collapse of the national grid earlier this week, which left many parts of the country in darkness and renewed concerns over the reliability of centrally generated electricity.
Speaking at the Government House in Umuahia, Otti identified his administration, the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority, and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) as key stakeholders in the new power arrangement, noting that negotiations have been concluded to enable the state take fuller control of electricity generation, distribution, and regulation within its territory.
According to the governor, “Rather than allowing waste to constitute an environmental burden, we have chosen to convert organic waste into biogas that can be used to generate clean and sustainable electricity. This pilot initiative is designed to power critical areas, especially the Umuahia industrial and farming clusters, while guaranteeing energy security for the state.”
He explained that the state government has commenced steps to acquire and integrate power assets serving Umuahia and its environs, adding that offers made to EEDC have been accepted and that arrangements are underway to settle outstanding financial obligations to facilitate a seamless transition.
Otti further stated that as of December 24, regulatory oversight of electricity in Abia formally shifted from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority, thereby granting the state legal and operational autonomy over power generation, transmission, and distribution.
The governor, speaking in his capacity as chief executive of the state, reaffirmed that the decentralized power framework aligns with existing models such as the Aba Power project, which independently supplies electricity to Aba and surrounding industrial areas, stressing that the policy is anchored on efficiency, sustainability, and economic growth.
He warned stakeholders, including power operators and contractors, that the state would strictly enforce its regulatory framework to ensure compliance with established standards, transparency in operations, and adherence to applicable electricity laws and policies.
Otti concluded that the state government would continue to expand its independent power infrastructure, pursue further investments in renewable energy, and strengthen regulatory oversight, maintaining that Abia’s long-term objective is full insulation from national grid failures and the delivery of uninterrupted power supply to its people.
