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NERC Sets December 31 For CSP Registration, Mandates N100,000 Non-refundable Registration Fee

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6 months ago

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…..Says Only CBN-Licensed Firms Can Collect Electricity Payments
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC) has imposed strict caps on the commissions paid to all third-party electricity bill collectors and ordered electricity distribution companies to re-register every collection partner before December 31, 2025, or risk sanctions.
NERC also mandated a non-refundable N100,000 registration fee for all Collection Service Providers (CSP) insisting that only entities with valid Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licences can operate. It further stressed that contract not re-registered by December 31, 2025, automatically becomes invalid.
The new regime, contained in NERC’s Guidelines for the Engagement of Third-Party Collection Service Providers in NESI, came into force on November 1, 2025, and directly targets opaque revenue practices that have long plagued Nigeria’s power sector, marking the latest attempt to enforce Nigeria’s long-standing policy of cashless electricity payment.

Signed by the Commission’s Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni, the document standardises how Nigerians can pay for electricity, from USSD and banking apps to PoS agents and rural vendors, and sets binding limits on what the agents can charge for their services.

Under the new framework, only entities licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, including banks, PSSPs, PTSPs, MMOs, switching companies, card schemes, and super-agents, are eligible to operate as Collection Service Providers. The guideline sets binding maximum commissions for all USSD, PoS, app-based, banking, and rural payment channels.

The document read, “In furtherance of the policy direction of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the settlement of electricity bills by certain classes of end-use customers, the commission issued Order No. NERC/183/2019 (the “Order”) mandates DisCos to migrate industrial and commercial customers to cashless settlement platforms by 31 January 2020 and R3 customers (now MD residential) by 31 March 2020. Pursuant to the Order, the commission authorised the use of available banking channels and collection service providers to enhance transparency in billing and collection.

“The cashless payment system is a shift from conventional transactions to more efficient, practical, and secure methods of payment for customers. These include but are not limited to banking applications, mobile platforms, credit cards, debit cards, QR/Scan to pay, USSD, payment links, and digital wallets.

“To register, each CSP must submit: A valid CBN licence or permit, A signed agreement with the relevant DisCo, CAC incorporation documents, A banker’s reference, three years’ tax clearance, VAT registration, A list of sub-agents, an API integration agreement with NIBSS, and Proof of payment of a non-refundable N100,000 registration fee. No CSP may commence operations without NERC’s approval, and no DisCo may engage any partner that is not fully cleared by the regulator.”

The guidelines also classify collection channels into: USSD – real-time mobile short-code transactions, Banking and Switching – including apps, ATMs, Interswitch, Flutterwave, Paystack, and NIBSS, Mobile Payment Services – transfers, VANs, wallets, web, intranet, IVR, NQR, and payment links, Agency Services – PoS, kiosks, agents, cash vendors, Rural Services – agency presence in underserved and remote communities.

According to the guidelines, collection partners must not charge more than: N20 per USSD transaction below N5,000, and N50 for transactions at or above N5,000; 0.75 per cent to 3.25 pee cent, depending on channel type, for mobile wallets, agency banking, PoS, kiosks, and rural agents; A hard cap of N2,000 – N5,000 per transaction, whichever is lower.

“To end arbitrary commission charges, NERC has now fixed maximum rates for all categories: USSD below N5,000 – N20, Above N5,000 – N50; Banking & Switching: Banks, gateways – 0.75 per cent, capped at N2,000, ATM – 1.10 per cent, capped at N2,000, Wallets – 1.25 per cent, capped at N2,000

“Mobile Services: Web, chat, IVR, NQR – 1.50 per cent, capped at N2,000, Payout, mobile, VAN – 1.50 per cent, capped at N2,000. Agency & Rural PoS – 1.50 per cent, capped at N2,000, Kiosks – 2.00 per cent, capped at N2,000, Agents – 2.0–3.0 per cent, capped at N5,000, Rural agents – 3.25 per cent, capped at N5,000,” it added.

CSPs may only earn commission for collection services. Deducting fees for any other service, such as IT support or marketing, is expressly prohibited. NERC also directed that all collection contracts must be refunded, except for banks and switching firms whose settlements must occur on a T+1 basis.

Maximum Demand customers are exempt from third-party collections; they must pay directly into DisCos’ accounts, with no commission payable to any agent. “These rules will remain in force until amended by the Commission,” NERC declared.

Recall that in 2019, the commission issued Order NERC/183/2019, mandating DisCos to migrate industrial and commercial customers to cashless payment platforms by January 31, 2020, and residential MD customers (formerly R3) by March 31, 2020. The policy was meant to eliminate leakages, improve transparency, and ensure that collections flowed directly into utility accounts.
Despite this, cash transactions, especially in rural and agency banking channels, remained widespread, with thousands of unregistered agents charging arbitrary rates. Industry operators say some vendors charged unregulated rates far above formal limits, a practice that drained revenue and deepened sector illiquidity.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu
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Global Energy Crisis Is Reviving Green Hydrogen

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3 weeks ago

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April 27, 2026

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The global energy crisis has reshaped global energy priorities seemingly overnight. The Strait of Hormuz has been closed to virtually all commercial traffic for well over a month now, severely restricting global flows of oil and gas. As a result, global energy prices have skyrocketed, and supplies have tightened, pushing many countries to explore alternative energy pathways in a big hurry. This has led to an unfortunate resurgence of coal-fired power, especially in Asia – but it is also set to supercharge the clean energy industry on a global scale. And one of the unlikely benefactors of this groundswell of new investment may be the green hydrogen industry.
China, the world’s top hydrogen producer, is planning to ramp up production of hydrogen, and especially green hydrogen, more quickly than previously planned in order to shore up its energy security as import-dependent Asian markets are rocked by skyrocketing oil and gas prices. China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has referred to hydrogen as a “strategic lever” for national energy autonomy and resilience, and has pledged to accelerate the development of the domestic sector accordingly.
China’s 15th five-year plan, released last month, flagged hydrogen as a “future industry.” But, apparently, the future is now. According to a recent report from the South China Morning Post, the rhetoric around hydrogen coming out of China signals a shift away from research and toward rapid practical development of the sector.
Last year, the NEA earmarked 41 projects in nine regions across the country to lead hydrogen pilot projects all along the value chain “from production and transport to storage and application.” Now, leadership is pushing to bring those projects out of demo phases and into industrial applications as quickly as possible.
European leaders, too, are pivoting to embrace green hydrogen production with renewed enthusiasm. Earlier this month, ministers from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain petitioned the European Union to loosen production regulations to encourage investment into the sector. And Italy successfully approved a €6 billion state aid plan to support renewable hydrogen.
Even the United States is getting on board. This week, the Trump administration instructed the Department of Energy to save $5 billion worth of hydrogen hubs that were slated for closure. The hydrogen projects – though not green hydrogen ventures – were funded under the Biden administration in order to promote cleaner-burning fuel sources.
Hydrogen could potentially be a critical pathway for decarbonization, as it combusts at high heat like fossil fuels. But, unlike fossil fuels, when it burns, it leaves behind nothing but water vapor. This could make it indispensable for the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors like steelmaking and shipping. However, the vast majority of commercial hydrogen is made with fossil fuels. Green hydrogen, by comparison, is made using renewable energies.
But while hydrogen, and especially green hydrogen, could be a key part of the global clean energy transition, research and development in the sector had been cooling for years, as commercial and cost-effective green hydrogen production methods largely failed to materialize. “Even if production costs decrease in line with predictions, storage and distribution costs will prevent hydrogen from being cost-competitive in many sectors,” Roxana Shafiee, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard University Center for the Environment, told The Harvard Gazette in 2024. Shafiee led a study that found cause to believe “that the opportunities for hydrogen may be narrower than previously thought.”
But the economics of energy are changing as we speak, and the global hydrogen market is likely about to see a windfall as the world rushes to replace geopolitically risky fossil fuels, which have become prohibitively expensive overnight. Clearly, global leaders are already reembracing the fledgling sector as part of an all-of-the-above approach to energy security and independence. While hydrogen may not be a silver bullet solution, it could be a critical part of a more diverse and therefore more resilient global energy landscape going forward.
By Haley Zaremba
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Oil & Energy

PETAN Tasks Indigenous Oil Firms On Investments Attraction    … Global Engagement Sustenance

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3 weeks ago

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April 27, 2026

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The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has urged indigenous oil and gas companies to deepen global engagement and attract investment.
The Association urged intending participants to leverage the forthcoming 2026 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in the U.S. to expand their access to new technologies and partnerships.
PETAN said its participation at the global event would be driven by a deliberate strategy to position Nigerian firms as competitive players within the international energy value chain.
In a statement issued  by the Association’s Publicity Secretary, Dr Joan Faluyi, In Lagos, at the weekend,  PETAN would anchor its activities at the Nigerian Pavilion, with the theme: “Africa’s Energy Transformation: Scaling Investment, Technology, and Local Capacity for Sustainable Growth”.
Faluyi noted that the conference, scheduled for May 4 to May 7 in Houston, Texas, remained a leading platform for offshore energy dialogue, partnerships and innovation.
According to her, PETAN’s participation goes beyond routine attendance and reflects a focused effort to strengthen Nigeria’s visibility and influence in global energy discussions.
“At OTC 2026, PETAN is returning with stronger alignment and a clearer objective, to ensure Nigerian companies are not just present, but actively engaged and recognised as credible global partners,” she said.
Faluyi explained that the association had consistently showcased the capabilities of indigenous oil and gas service providers at previous editions of the conference, reinforcing their capacity to compete internationally.
She added that the Nigerian Pavilion would serve as a strategic hub for investment discussions, technical exhibitions and direct engagement with global stakeholders.
The association is also scheduled to participate in key engagements, including the African Energy Forum, the NCDMB–OEM Investment Forum and the PETAN Golf Tournament slated for May 7 at Quail Valley Golf Course, Texas.
Faluyi described OTC as a critical gateway for Nigerian companies seeking international opportunities, noting that visibility and engagement at the event often translate into commercial partnerships.
“In an increasingly competitive energy landscape, securing a seat at the global table is essential. Through sustained participation, PETAN continues to assert Nigeria’s place in that conversation,” she said.
Also speaking, PETAN Chairman, Mr Wole Ogunsanya, said the Association’s focus was to ensure that indigenous capacity is fully integrated into global energy decision-making processes.
“We have seen firsthand how global energy decisions are shaped at OTC. This year, we are returning to ensure indigenous Nigerian capacity is not just present but recognised, engaged and heard.
“We are taking our businesses to the table where real partnerships are formed,” he said.
Faluyi added that under Ogunsanya’s leadership, PETAN was prioritising strategic positioning to ensure Nigerian companies are not only visible but considered credible partners in major international energy projects.
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Oil & Energy

Solar Panels Imports Ban: Experts Recommend Phase -out Approach 

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3 weeks ago

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April 27, 2026

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Stakeholders in Nigeria’s energy sector have warned that an abrupt restriction on solar panels imports would undermine electricity access.
The experts called for a gradual phase-out of imports over several years rather than an outright ban.
Recall that the federal government had announced plans to halt solar panel imports after investing more than N200 billion to encourage domestic production.
Speaking at the Solar Power Media Training, in Abuja, last week, the Campaign Director, Secure Energy Project (SEP), Joseph Ibrahim, said stakeholders support the goal of building local manufacturing capacity but cautioned against sudden policy shifts.
“Let me be clear, we wholeheartedly support local manufacturing of solar panels”.
“We want to see factories in our states, jobs for our youth, and a supply chain that begins and ends on our soil”, he stated.
Ibrahim insisted that the most effective path forward is a carefully managed roadmap implemented over three to five years to give investors and workers time to adjust.
“If we rush this, we risk making solar power too expensive for the millions who currently rely on it for survival.
“By taking a phased approach, we allow time for investors to build their plants, for our workers to learn specialised skills, and for our economy to adjust without losing power”, he said.
The SEP director said policy stability, access to financing, and strict quality standards are essential to building a sustainable local solar manufacturing industry.
“To make local manufacturing a reality, we don’t just need new laws; we need an enabling environment. This means stability — policies that don’t change with the wind,” he said.
Also speaking, Tosin Asonibare,  said renewable energy has become a critical solution to Nigeria’s persistent electricity supply challenges.
He cited findings by the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, indicating that many Nigerians remain unaware of the proposed import restrictions and their potential implications.
According to him, respondents in the report largely favoured a phased ban supported by incentives for importing raw materials needed for local production.
“The report also shows that infrastructure for locally manufactured panels is not fully available, so there is need for foreign direct investment improvement in government policy.
“So that the local manufacturers and assembling companies can have higher capacity to meet demand. If that is not done, the price of solar panels will go up”, he said.
He warned that affordability could become a major concern for consumers if restrictions are implemented without adequate preparation.
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