On a busy street in Benin City, shopkeepers once went about their day under the shadow of broken concrete poles and dangerously sagging low-voltage lines. Few stopped to consider the risk, but for the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), it was an accident waiting to happen. After inspections and an enforcement directive, the poles were replaced, the lines corrected, and the looming disaster averted.
This is the quiet but powerful work of NEMSA—enforcing safety and technical standards across Nigeria’s electricity industry.
The Hidden Danger in Our Power Supply
Electricity is indispensable, but it can also be deadly when corners are cut. Poorly built networks, substandard cables, or faulty meters can trigger fires, cause electrocution, and destabilize entire sections of the grid. The tragic case in Calabar, where a snapped conductor killed seven people, illustrates how high the stakes really are.
Such incidents underscore why enforcement is not optional. It is the backbone of a safe, reliable power system—and that’s where NEMSA steps in.
The Law Behind the Mission
NEMSA is not just another agency, it carries the authority of the Electricity Act 2023, particularly Sections 176 and 182, which empower it to:
• Enforce all statutory technical standards and regulations issued by NERC and other relevant bodies.
• Ensure compliance with safety rules in the construction, operation, and maintenance of electrical installations.
• Test, certify, and approve meters, networks, and installations before they are energized.
• Issue directives—legally binding orders—to correct unsafe or non-compliant practices.
In short, NEMSA is both the technical regulator and the safety enforcer of Nigeria’s power sector.
Boots on the Ground: Enforcement in Action
Enforcement at NEMSA is not just about boardroom policies. It happens in real time, out in the field. Through its National Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, engineers and inspectors fan out across the country, scrutinizing:
• Transmission lines crisscrossing cities.
• Distribution substations tucked into neighborhoods.
• Generation plants feeding the grid.
• Electrical fittings in malls, factories, markets, hospitals, and even petrol stations.
• Renewable energy installations rising across Nigeria.
When hazards are spotted, NEMSA doesn’t just write reports—it issues directives that compel action.
Some landmark directives include:
• A ban on substandard electrical materials and equipment, protecting consumers from cheap but deadly imports.
• A 2018 directive mandating a 150mm² ACSR conductor size for 33kV feeder lines, improving network stability.
• Restrictions on the misuse of 33kV primary feeders, stopping unsafe connections that jeopardize supply reliability.
The Difference You Can See
The impact is often visible, sometimes dramatic.
• In Kaduna, two towering 33kV poles tilted dangerously toward collapse until NEMSA intervened, forcing a rebuild.
• In Kano, sagging lines with multiple unsafe joints were corrected after NEMSA’s inspection.
• In Lagos, 330kV power lines that ran directly above a school were flagged—and reengineered before tragedy struck.
These corrections may not make the evening news, but for the families, businesses, and communities they protect, the difference is life-saving.
More Than Enforcement: Building a Culture of Safety
While NEMSA wields the power of enforcement, its bigger mission is to build a culture where safety is second nature. Its mantra is clear:
“Do it right the first time, and always. Accidents don’t just happen—they are caused.”
By working with utility companies, contractors, engineers, and the public, NEMSA is pushing the industry toward one goal: zero accidents, zero fatalities, and a power sector Nigerians can trust.
Lighting the Path Forward
As Nigeria pushes to expand its electricity infrastructure to meet growing demand, the role of NEMSA becomes even more critical. Every new substation, every distribution line, every meter installed must be built to standard. Anything less risks lives, property, and national progress.
That is why NEMSA’s enforcement powers matter. They ensure that electricity in Nigeria remains what it is meant to be—a driver of development, not destruction.
And for the shopkeepers in Benin, the school children in Lagos, and millions of electricity consumers nationwide, NEMSA is not just a regulator but a guardian of safety and trust in the power sector.
Ama Umoren Mrs.
Head Communications & Protocol
NEMSA
