Lagos, Nigeria — AReported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
uthorities from the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) convened a high-level meeting this week to formalise cooperation on consumer complaint handling within the state’s newly decentralised electricity market. The engagement reflects a broader push by Lagos State to strengthen consumer rights and regulatory accountability at a time of significant reform in Nigeria’s power sector.
Officials from both agencies met at LASCOPA’s headquarters in Ikeja to explore ways to integrate complaint-resolution frameworks and streamline processes whereby electricity consumers can have their concerns addressed effectively and fairly. The meeting comes against the backdrop of ongoing challenges in the electricity market, where consumers have repeatedly raised issues about billing disputes, service quality, and accountability from distribution companies.
In remarks at the event, Afolabi Solebo, General Manager of LASCOPA, reiterated the agency’s commitment to consumer rights protection across all essential services in Lagos, including electricity. He emphasised that LASCOPA is prepared to work with established government partners to ensure that consumers have reliable channels for reporting grievances and that such complaints are resolved efficiently. Solebo’s office has in recent weeks also issued public advisories on consumer protection, warning residents about exploitation and urging vigilance in market transactions, including electric utilities, as part of broader enforcement efforts.
Representing LASERC was Mrs. Adetokunbo Ladega, the Commission’s Legal Adviser, deputising for LASERC Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Temitope George. Mrs. Ladega underlined the legal foundation for the collaboration, citing Section 113(5) of the Lagos State Electricity Law, 2024, which empowers both agencies to establish a joint mechanism for handling consumer complaints related to electricity services in the state. She highlighted the importance of a unified approach that draws on LASCOPA’s robust complaint-handling frameworks to strengthen consumer empowerment within the electricity sector.
The Lagos State Electricity Law, enacted in November 2024 in line with constitutional amendments and the federal Electricity Act 2023, established LASERC as the state’s primary electricity market regulator — responsible for oversight of generation, distribution, tariff regulation, licensing, performance monitoring and consumer safeguards within Lagos. Prior to the law, regulatory oversight of the electricity industry had been centralised under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. The enactment of the state law marked a major shift, with regulatory functions formally transferred from NERC to LASERC in December 2024.
At the meeting, representatives from both agencies agreed that consumer complaints about electricity — including billing discrepancies, service interruptions, unfair charges and disputes over meter installations — require accessible procedures and clear channels for escalation. While LASCOPA has a track record of resolving tens of thousands of complaints across sectors and achieving significant recoveries for consumers, electricity complaints have remained a particular area of concern as market liberalisation accelerates.
Consumer rights advocates have repeatedly drawn attention to lapses in customer service and adherence to consumer protection principles by power distribution companies operating in Lagos. Separately, there have been ongoing disputes involving major electricity distributors such as Ikeja Electric, which has faced regulatory enforcement actions tied to consumer rights non-compliance, including incidents where regulators took action over refusal to comply with previous rulings on consumer billing injustices.
The LASERC-LASCOPA collaboration initiative signals a new phase for consumer engagement in the electricity market. LASERC’s Consumer Affairs unit, led by Mrs. Titilola Amodu, and senior legal officials from LASCOPA were present at the engagement, reaffirming the priority both agencies place on consumer welfare and market fairness.
Power consumers in Lagos have, for years, confronted inconsistent supply and billing issues, and many voices have called for stronger institutional mechanisms to protect their interests. A lack of clear grievance pathways has often left consumers navigating bureaucratic processes with limited recourse, even when regulatory bodies have issued directives in their favour. The joint effort by LASERC and LASCOPA aims to address such deficits by setting up a complaint-handling mechanism that is accessible, transparent and enforceable.
In addition to the Lagos State Electricity Law’s provisions for consumer engagement, the agency’s complaint unit offers a first point of contact for electricity consumers seeking redress. That unit is tasked with recording, tracking, and escalating complaints related to distribution companies and market operations, with the goal of resolving issues without protracted disputes.
Observers note that the establishment of effective complaint channels is not only about addressing individual consumer problems but also about reinforcing trust in the regulatory architecture of a newly decentralised electricity market. As Lagos authorities advance reforms aimed at attracting investment and improving service delivery, consumer confidence will be critical to garnering public support and ensuring accountability among market participants.
The LASERC-LASCOPA engagement also follows other strategic regulatory collaborations, including recent visits by LASERC to the national electricity regulator to deepen cooperation and learn best practices in market administration. Those engagements underscore the intergovernmental complexity of electricity regulation in Nigeria, where state and federal entities increasingly intersect.
For Lagos residents, the outcome of this collaboration could mean more effective responses when issues arise with their power distribution providers, clearer timelines for complaint resolution, and stronger institutional backing for consumer rights. Whether in billing disputes or service quality concerns, a unified complaint-handling platform between LASERC and LASCOPA promises greater accountability in a sector historically criticised for its opacity and inconsistent service standards.
As the electricity market continues to evolve, regulators have stressed that consumer protection is central to the success of liberalised energy frameworks. The insights from today’s meeting are expected to inform the rollout of joint guidelines in the coming weeks, shaping how electricity consumers in Lagos engage with regulatory bodies and seek redress in a rapidly changing market environment.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments