NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGENCY (NEMSA)
The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) is established by NEMSA Act 2015 (now the Electricity Act 2023) to carry out the Functions of Enforcement of Technical Standards and Regulations, Technical Inspection, Testing and Certification of all Categories of Electrical Installations, Electricity Meters, and Instruments, to ensure the Efficient Production and Delivery of Safe, Reliable and Sustainable Electricity Power Supply and Guarantee Safety of Lives and Property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, and other allied industries/workplaces/premises in Nigeria.
Electricity has become a necessary part of our everyday life and is of great benefit to us. However, it is associated with hazards, which if misused/abused, a terrible price is paid in injuries, fatalities, equipment damage, and unscheduled down time; For safe, reliable and sustainable Electricity Supply, it is paramount that the associated hazards are effectively mitigated. Mitigating the hazards of electricity to make it safe, reliable and sustainable, led to the development of Technical Standards, Regulations and Codes; The developed Technical Standards, Regulations and Codes can only be impactful if effectively enforced, thus the establishment of NEMSA.
Mandate: In line with the mandate and enforcement powers of NEMSA, no electrical installation or networks/power systems/power plants and transmission installations along the power value chain and other workplaces/premises in Nigeria can be put in place and into use without first being inspected, tested and certified fit for use by NEMSA electrical inspectors (Engineers and Technical Officers). In the same vein, no electrical installation contractor or technician is permitted to carry out electrical installation work in Nigeria unless he has been duly certified by NEMSA and has been issued a competency certificate permitting him/her to so function. Generally, the enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification is a critical and very important aspect of managing the growth of the power industry of any nation.
Critical Elements of NEMSA’s Mandate include, ensuring that electrical materials/equipment/ instruments used in NESI and other workplaces are of the right type, quality, standard and specifications; the power systems and networks put in place have been properly planned, designed and executed before use to ensure that such systems/networks are capable of delivering safe, reliable and regular electricity supply to the consumers nationwide; and that electrical installations in homes, offices, commercial and industrial premises have been properly constructed and executed to ensure reliability and safety of use.
Other key elements include ensuring safety of lives and property within the grid and off-grid networks; ensuring that electricity energy meters and instruments are of the right type, class and accuracy for proper accountability of energy produced, delivered, supplied and utilized by the consumers. They must also be duly tested and certified fit before deployment and use in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), other allied industries and workplaces. Lastly, all Electrical Installations Contractors/Practitioners/All other technical personnel engaged in the practice of electrical installations works along the value chain and utilization in NESI and allied industries must be certified.
Vision: To be an efficient world class technical enforcement Agency that ensures standardization, specification, quality, safety and competence for the competitive Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and other allied industries.
Mission: To ensure efficient, stable, safe and reliable networks for electricity supply; safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry through appropriate and innovative technology employing a well-motivated workforce.
Functions, Powers and Responsibilities of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA)
Subject to the NEMSA Act 2015, the Agency shall-
- Carry out electrical inspectorate services for the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Enforce all statutory technical electrical standards and regulations as published by Nigerian Electricity Commission and all other relevant statutory bodies;
- Collaborate with the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and other relevant Government Agencies to ensure that all electrical materials and equipment used in Nigeria are of the right quality and standards;
- Ensure that the power systems and networks put in place have been properly executed before use, to ensure that such system are capable of delivering safe, reliable and sustainable electricity supply to consumers nationwide;
- Enforce compliance with technical standards for all electrical installations, electrical plants, including power plants and ancillary systems, electric networks and connectivity to the grid;
- Enforce compliance with safety requirements for construction, operations and maintenance of electrical power plants, transmission system, distribution networks and electric installations;
- Enforce the conditions for installation of meters for transmission systems, distribution networks and supply of electricity;
- Carry out the duties of inspecting engineers for inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installation in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Provide comprehensive technical support services that will guarantee the efficient production and delivery of safe and reliable power supply and enhance efficient service delivery industry-wide;
- Provide sustained technical inspection, testing and certification of all electrical materials,[including transformer oil and chemicals] or equipment, power systems, networks [generation, transmission and distribution], or electrical installations to be used in the power sector, to ensure a stable system to deliver safe, reliable, regular power supply, guarantee safety of lives and property, and avert loss of lives and property in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Test calibrate and certify every brand of electricity meters and instruments whether locally manufactured or imported before use in the Nigerian electricity supply industry; and to periodically carry out sample test of such meters and instruments deployed in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Test and certify electrical installations in hazardous locations such as in filling stations, prospecting oil companies, off and onshore flow stations or wells, floating production storage and offloading vessels;
- Process issue competency certificates to qualified electrical personnel working in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Regularly carry out periodic inspection, monitoring and assessment of existing power plants or stations, installations, extra high voltage(EHV) and high (HV) transmission lines and associated transmitting or switching stations and distribution networks to ensure that they are in regular fitness to generate, transmit, distribute and deliver reliable and safe power supply to the electricity consumers nationwide;
- Regularly monitor the compliance level of the technical regulations, standards and specifications used in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;
- Carry out or cause to be carried out investigation of electrical accidents and electrocutions (outright deaths) in connection with generation, transmission, distribution, supply or use of electricity with a view to finding out the causes, and enforce remedial measures and proffer or suggest ways of preventing future occurrence;
- Promote research on matters affecting the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electricity;
- Publish from time to time information beneficial to the growth of the electricity industry including reports and investigation;
- Advise the minister and other relevant agencies on all technical matters relating to generation, transmission and distribution of electricity;
- Take over the functions of statutory of statutory electrical inspection, testing and certification of all electrical installation hitherto carried out by the Director of electrical inspectorate services and the electrical inspectorate services division of federal ministry of power;
- Provide non-core and ancillary services for commercial opportunities and drive in the Nigerian electricity supply industry;(including research and development, electricity information management systems, renewable energy services, specialized medical and health care services, project management and consultancy, electricity workshop service, project unit service for specialized projects in the Nigerian electricity supply industry, logistics, warehousing, and printing technology;
- Partner and to be a joint and major player with other related services in the Nigerian electricity supply industry; for technical and commercial services and to perform and provide all other related services in the Nigerian electricity supply industry; as may be approved by the minister;
- Collaborate with other stakeholders in the electricity power sector on standards and specifications of all major electrical equipment and materials manufactured or imported for use in Nigeria, to ensure uniformity and ensure that all electrical equipment and materials comply with approved standards; and
- Discharge such other functions as may be provided under this Act or conferred by the minister’s directive.
For more visit www.nemsa.gov.ng
