By Muhammad Mamman
The north-western states of Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa have come together to create Nigeria’s first regional electricity market, with a ₦50 billion investment aimed at boosting power generation and expanding access across the region.
This landmark initiative follows a high-level Electrification Summit held in Marrakech, Morocco, and marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s power sector reform, made possible by the 2023 Electricity Act. The Act empowers individual states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity within their territories — a shift these three states are now moving to fully exploit.
Under the agreement, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa will acquire ownership stakes in Future Energies Africa (FEA), the leading investor in Kano Electricity Distribution Company (Kano DisCo). This structure aims to align state-level political and economic interests with improved performance and long-term reform of the utility provider.
Governors Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Dikko Umar Radda (Katsina), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa) attended the summit, alongside top officials, regulators, and international energy experts.
Speaking after the event, Sani Sani, Head of Corporate Communications at Kano DisCo, confirmed that the states and the DisCo will collaborate to reduce consumer-level electricity losses and enhance overall service delivery.
He added that FEA and state representatives would hold quarterly strategy sessions and an annual international retreat to monitor progress and steer the tri-state electricity market.
At the core of the partnership is a ₦50 billion electrification fund — a joint public-private initiative focusing on renewable energy, mini-grids, embedded generation, and solar home systems. The aim is to improve electricity access for households and small businesses in the region, which has a combined population of nearly 40 million.
Insiders say the first phase of the project will prioritise underserved rural communities and industrial clusters, targeting areas like Sharada and Bompai in Kano, the Dutsin-Ma corridor in Katsina, and the Gumel axis in Jigawa.
