The Abia State Government has announced a significant improvement in electricity supply across the state, declaring that Abia is now insulated from widespread power outages caused by repeated national grid collapses that have plagued much of Nigeria. Governor Alex Otti told reporters at the Government House that his administration has successfully implemented local energy solutions that reduce dependence on the unstable national grid and provide residents with more reliable and consistent electricity.
Governor Otti explained that the state’s new approach involves converting organic waste into biogas power, a renewable energy source that has been integrated into the local supply network and allows the state to generate electricity even when the national grid fails. He also highlighted that regulatory control of Abia’s electricity market has transitioned from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority (ASERA), giving the state greater autonomy over generation, distribution and transmission of power.
According to Otti, the arrangement has been agreed with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), which manages distribution services in the state, and forms part of a broader strategy to attract investment and improve infrastructure. He noted that parts of the state’s power assets are now under local control and that this has helped Abia remain unaffected by the recent national grid collapse, contrasted with other regions of the country that experienced outages earlier this week.
The governor’s announcement follows earlier efforts by the state to modernise its power sector, including regulatory autonomy granted under the Electricity Act 2023 and partnerships aimed at expanding mini-grid and renewable energy projects. These initiatives have positioned Abia to explore sustainable solutions to historic electricity challenges, targeting both urban centres and rural communities that have long suffered from unreliable supply.
Residents and business owners have welcomed the developments as a potential turning point for economic activity and quality of life in Abia, particularly in industrial areas such as Aba, where local generation projects have previously delivered more stable power independent of the national grid.
As national grid reliability continues to be a major concern nationwide, Abia’s model of localised power generation and regulatory control may become a blueprint for other states seeking energy security and economic growth through innovative, region-led electricity reforms.
