General
AfDB 2021 Electricity Regulatory Index Ranks Nigeria 21
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s electricity sector emerged as the 21st best regulated across a number of key metrics, according to the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) 2021 Electricity Regulatory Index.
The 2021 Electricity Regulatory Index, an annual report, covered 43 countries, up from 36 in the previous edition, and assessed their impact on the performance of their electricity sectors. The index covered three countries in the North Africa region; 14 in West Africa; 6 in Central Africa; 7 in East Africa; and 13 in the Southern Africa region.
According to the report, Nigeria has an index between 0.600 to 0.799 which indicates a substantial level of regulatory development. This means that many elements of a supportive regulatory framework are established, although there are weaknesses that do not permit the regulator to have a strong capacity, legal and institutional structures.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan electricity sector is the best for the fourth consecutive year while other strong performers include East African neighbours, Kenya and Tanzania, as well as Namibia and Egypt.
Among the 2021 report’s key highlights are that regulatory independence is one sub-indicator where African countries have room to improve: in 93 per cent of sampled countries, governments, and stakeholders exercise influence over regulatory authorities.
In terms of regulatory substance, participating countries scored lowest on the adequacy of their tariff setting and frameworks, as well as licensing frameworks when compared with best practices.
According to the report, the average performance of economic regulation has continued to decline since 2018. A third of countries surveyed indicated they lack methodologies to determine tariffs; another 40 per cent rely on tariff methodologies that do not include key attributes such as automatic tariff adjustment and tariff indexation mechanisms and schedule for major tariff reviews.
Speaking on this, Mr Kevin Kariuki, the AfDB’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth said, “The unprecedented participation of so many countries shows the commitment to strengthen the countries’ regulatory environment with a view to improving the performance of the respective electricity sectors”.
On his part, Mr Wale Shonibare, AfDB Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, commended the top-performing country.
“Uganda topping the rankings consecutively for four years comes as no surprise to many, as the regulator spends significant time on consultation and analysis, including regulatory impact assessments of key interventions and follow-through to ensure full implementation,” he said.
Outside stakeholders also viewed the report’s results positively with Mr Abel Didier Tella, Director General of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa, saying, “It is interesting that the utilities in most of the top-performing countries in the Electricity Regulatory Index are listed on their national stock exchanges, which requires compliance with transparency in information sharing and good governance practice.”
Since its launch in 2018, the Electricity Regulatory Index has highlighted aspects of electricity regulation that need reform, identified appropriate areas for intervention, and encouraged stakeholders to be proactive in addressing challenges. Since then, the index has been widely adopted by regulators and other stakeholders across the continent as a benchmark for the regulatory environment as well as for ongoing reforms.
By Abiodun Alade
At sixty-eight, a legacy stands tall,
A testament to vision, strength, and resolve.
Aliko Dangote, a name renowned,
A builder of empires, a force unbound.
By hard work, you carved your way,
With perseverance that turned night to day.
Through trials and triumphs, you have grown,
A titan whose empire is deeply sown.
In realms of business, you lead with grace,
A mind that sees the future, a steady pace.
Cement, oil, fertiliser—and ventures galore,
Each triumph a legend, each success a lore.
Your wisdom, like a river, flows deep,
In markets and minds, your influence keeps.
With each brick laid, with each step taken,
A legacy of progress, never shaken.
At sixty-eight, your journey’s clear,
A tale of triumph, without fear.
For wealth is more than gold and gain—
It’s a legacy, a lasting reign.
Aliko Dangote, you stand as a guide,
A figure of dignity, with nothing to hide.
May your influence grow, spreading all around,
For your life is a story, in gold, profound.
As you celebrate this milestone, so grand,
May your light shine bright, across the land.
For your life is a tale of the brave, the wise,
A legacy that forever will rise.
Abiodun, a communications specialist, writes from Lagos
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The chairman of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr Idris Olalekan Kusimo, has described the officials who extorted the crew of BBC Yoruba some days ago as fake, dissociating his administration “from this shameful act.”
In a statement he signed, Mr Kusimo stressed that the alleged council officials were not authorised to collect fees and taxes on behalf of the council despite operating on the premises of the local government secretariat.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2025, BBC Yoruba posted on its Facebook page and website about the ordeal of its crew in the hands of persons believed to be working for the local government.
The media platform’s vehicle was stopped, and N60,000 was fined for not having a Joint Tax Board (JTB) levy. The fine was negotiated to N45,000, and when it was time to pay, the council officials demanded cash and not a transfer, which raised suspicion.
Apparently embarrassed by the reactions to the report and comments by other victims of the extortion, Mr Kusimo released a statement exonerating the council from the alleged fraud.
He described those who stopped the crew as “some unscrupulous individuals” who “falsely presented themselves as officials of Ifo Local Government and unlawfully accosted motorists, including your reporter, along the Ojodu-Abiodun axis.”
According to him, the persons “do not represent the council in any capacity” as Ifo Local Government does not sanction, condone, or benefit from their illegal activities, which include the forceful removal of vehicle number plates and extortion of motorists.”
“While the accused persons operate from a rented space within the Ojodu-Abiodun Office Complex, their actions are entirely self-motivated and criminal,” he noted, adding that a “thorough investigation into the activities of these impostors” has been initiated.
Mr Kusimo urged “affected motorists, including the BBC Yoruba team, to provide further details to assist in prosecuting these fraudsters,” advising members of the public “to report any such incidents directly to the council or security Agencies and to request proper identification from anyone claiming to be an official of Ifo government.”
He stated that Ifo Local Government remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State government has sealed 13 markets across the state for persistent violations related to illegal waste disposal in the Ketu area and its environs in an effort to promote environmental cleanliness and safeguard public health.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed the closure of the affected markets in a statement on his X handle on Friday.
Mr Wahab said the enforcement actions were in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017, aimed at ensuring responsible waste management and maintaining public order.
Notably, Ketu and Mile 12 markets were sealed last night due to consistent violations, including the improper disposal of waste on roads, medians, and highways.
The 13 markets shut down by the government were Erukan Market, Mile 12; Oja Oba Market, Ketu; Owoseni Tundas Market; Oba Ogunjobi Market, Mile 12; Shops Owners (BRT Terminal), Mile 12; and Mile 12 Bus Stop Shops; Ketu Terminal Market (6 plazas); Ifesowapo Shop Owners Market, Mile 12; Demurin St Plaza Shops, Ketu; The Occupant, 6 Demurin Road, Ketu; Ifelodun Market, Ketu; Ibadan Unit 1 Park (in-between Babajide Sanwo-Olu Market and Ikosi Fruit Market); and Ketu Tipper Garage.
The closure of the market was necessary to restore cleanliness and public safety in these busy commercial areas, according to Mr Wahab.
The Lagos State government emphasized that market stakeholders must take full responsibility for proper waste management going forward to avoid further disruptions.
“These enforcement actions are necessary to safeguard public health and restore order to our public spaces,” Mr Wahab was quoted as saying.
The Lagos State government also called on residents and market stakeholders to collaborate in building a cleaner, safer, and more responsible Lagos.
The enforcement is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the city remains livable and sustainable for all.
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