The Edo State Government is intensifying efforts to attract private investment into its electricity market as part of measures to improve power supply across the state.
The state Commissioner for Power, Paul Usenbo, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying ongoing regulatory reforms, independent power projects and strategic equity participation were expected to position the state as a major player in the power sector.
He said the state’s electricity sector had undergone significant policy and institutional changes under Governor Monday Okpebholo, who marks his second anniversary in office on Thursday.
According to Usenbo, the transition to state-level regulation, licensing of private operators, expansion of generation capacity, metering initiatives and strategic partnerships are aimed at improving electricity access and supporting industrial growth.
He identified Edo State’s acquisition of a 10 per cent equity stake in the proposed 100-megawatt power plant in Ologbo, negotiated with CCETC and First Bank, as a major investment development.
He said the arrangement would make the state an equity partner in the project, with prospects of generating recurring revenue, creating jobs and supporting electricity supply to businesses and industries.
The Ologbo project also includes a proposed 300-tonne-per-day liquefied natural gas facility, for which Okpebholo performed the groundbreaking ceremony in February 2026.
The project is expected to strengthen the state’s energy value chain and meet the growing electricity needs of industries.
Usenbo added, “Beyond Ologbo, the government is pursuing a proposed 200MW independent power project in Edo North, alongside distributed generation and renewable energy investments aimed at expanding supply and improving access across the state’s three senatorial districts.
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“At the regulatory level, the implementation of the Edo State Electricity Law 2024, signed by Okpebholo in February 2025, has provided the framework for private-sector participation in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
“The establishment of the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, following the transition from federal oversight by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, has also strengthened the state’s capacity to regulate its electricity market.
“Under the new regulatory arrangement, 12 companies have received electricity generation and distribution licences. They include CCETC Ogua Energy Limited, GTL Power Limited, IZ Energy, Etin Power Limited, Edo North Electricity Limited, Mid-Western Bulk Electricity Company Limited and Tetracore Power Company Limited, alongside Victoria Power and Infrastructure, New Hampshire Capital Limited, Hydra Energy Solutions Limited, Nigeria Bottling Company Limited and Halimatu Musa Hospital Limited.”
The commissioner said the ESERC had also issued BEDC Electricity Edo Limited a six-month provisional licence to operate within the state’s electricity market, subject to regulatory requirements on compliance, transparency, accountability and consumer protection.
He said the measure was part of efforts to establish a more competitive and accountable electricity market in the state.
On metering, Usenbo said the Ministry of Power was implementing a mass metering programme, with more than 30,000 meters reportedly deployed and over 38,000 allocated to the state under the first phase of the free metering initiative.
He added that the government was pursuing plans to establish a meter assembly facility through a private-sector partnership, alongside a debulking programme to move communities from bulk electricity billing to individual customer accounts.
However, the success of the reforms will depend on whether the proposed projects translate into increased electricity generation, improved distribution and more reliable power supply for businesses and households.
