By Clement Nwoji, Abuja
The recent appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat, 39, as the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the apex regulatory body of Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is enmeshed in controversy. First, the presidential statements issued by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, announcing his nomination and other two commissioners for the NERC: Mr Abubakar Yusuf, Commissioner of Consumer Affairs and Dr Fouad Olayinka Animashun, Commissioner of Finance and Management Services, contradicted each other.
According to the first statement issued on August 7th, 2025, “All nominations are subject to Senate confirmation. However, to avoid a leadership vacuum in the critical regulatory agency, the President directed that Engr Ramat assume office in acting capacity pending his screening by the Senate, as stipulated by the law.”
In another breath, a statement was reissued, indicating that the nomination is subject to Senate confirmation before assumption of office. The statement read in part, “All nominations are subject to Senate confirmation. The commission’s acting chairman will continue to hold his position until the confirmation of the new chairman-designate.”
But as most typical Nigerian politician, who cherry picks rules and regulations and court orders which tend to favour their selfish ambition, Dr. Garba Ramat did not blink an eye to stick to the earlier statement directing immediate resumption in total disregard to the reissued statement overriding the earlier one. The second statement had directed the erstwhile Acting Chairman, Dr. Musiliu Oseni, to continue in office until after the confirmation of Dr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat by the Senate.
The second controversy bothers on Dr.Garba Ramat’s mode of what industry watchers termed “forceful” resumption on Friday, 8th August, 2025 with fully kitted security Aide De Camp (ADC) in addition to other bodyguards and huge entourage as if embarking on political or campaign rally in enemy camp. By this, he gave false impression at NERC corporate headquarters as if anyone is contesting his appointment or position.
Background checks on Dr. Ramat revealed that he is neck deep a politically exposed person who still openly nurse political ambition despite the negative baggage of an alleged involvement in attack against political opponents. Industry watchers cited his widely reported arrest by security operatives in February, 2023 with pistol along side another partisan politician, one Munir Dahiru while leading armed thugs to attack the convoy of the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, along Zaria Road, Kano. But for the reported timely intervention of the then National Chairman of his party, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, he was set free.
Power sector experts fear that his disposition at NERC would be a reflection of partisan politics rather than neutrality and expertise critical for proper regulation, operation and development of the multi-billion Naira worth power sector. His lack of knowledge of the sector, no doubt will constitute apparent set back on the much anticipated sectoral development.
Further, power sector experts recalled the experience under the immediate past Minister of power under late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Saleh Mamman, who as a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) throughout his tenure (August 2019 -September 2021) was allegedly focused on realization of his political ambition of becoming the Governor of Taraba state. Having preoccupied himself with politicking in place of efforts to ensure stable power supply during his tenure, he is currently being tried for alleged corrupt acquisition and enrichment of self to the amount of N33.8 billion. The prosecuting agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged him with 12-counts bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33.8 billion Mambilla power project which he has not been able to extricate self.
Only last month in July, the current Minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, had reportedly in his home state, in Ogbomoso, Oyo state declared to contest for the governorship of the state come 2027. He made the declaration during strategic meeting with key All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders as part of his ongoing early mobilisation efforts. This is another politician after Babatunde Fashola who talked much but achieved little to resolve the sector’s challenges. Adebayo is being saddled with presiding over a sector that is the engine room of socioeconomic development of the nation. Whereas the sector is replete with time tested power sector experts in the country, the preference for partisan politicians and novice to preside the sector has abnormally become the trend and a setback to the sector’s growth.
To preempt the pitfalls of politicizing the apex regulatory body of the power sector and derailing its mission and vision, sector stakeholders and analysts have raised concerns about the appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as the Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), describing it as the most challenging and difficult to understand appointment since the sector was privatised in 2013.
To them, at no time has a career politician been appointed to head the NERC, which is seen as the engine room for the optimisation of government’s policies and programmes for the critical role the power sector plays in the economy of the nation. They further hold the view that as a career politician, his focus will be more of politics than the technical demands of the office.
Speaking on condition of anonymity sector experts said the appointment of a career politician portends great danger for the sector because in the event that the Chairman begins to drift as a result of paucity of knowledge of the sector, his removal will be very difficult to be effected by the President due political considerations of godfathers whose support the President badly needs for the politics of 2027.
Of particular concern for the stakeholders, is the fact that Dr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat is coming into the sector not just as a complete greenhorn but at a time when the sector that has the need of the expertise of a technocrat instead of a politician to pilot its affairs as it transits into a cost reflective tariff, bilateral agreement and a multiplicity of markets.
Citing the imbrolglio thrown up by the tariff adjustment effected by the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC), industry experts are of the opinion that it is only an appointee that has deep understanding of the sector who can provide the type of leadership needed to steer the sector in the right direction when it becomes inevitable to take decisions on critical issues that plague the sector.
There is consensus among power experts that Dr. Ramat, being a partisan politician will see his appointment as an opportunity to dispense political patronage rather than a rare chance to lead the sector in the direction of profitability and sustainability. Clearly, experts submit that politically and ethically, Dr. Ramat’s appointment remains controversial, requiring replacement due to his past political baggage in 2023 arrest, lack of knowledge of the sector and the need to maintain the credibility of NERC and the federal government in resolving power sector challenges.
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