In a major step toward subnational energy independence, Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, signed the Ondo State Electric Power Sector (Amendment) Law, 2026 into law on Thursday morning, August 13, 2026, at the Executive Council Chambers, Governor’s Office, Akure.​
The legislative milestone establishes a localized legal and regulatory framework governing electricity generation, transmission, and distribution across the state. The newly enacted law establishes two primary entities designed to decentralize, regulate, and commercialize the state’s power ecosystem.
State slectricity distribution functions as the state’s primary electricity regulator tasked with overseeing tariffs, licensing independent power producers (IPPs), regulating mini-grids, advancing renewable energy projects, and enforcing consumer rights.
Operational market entities, Mandates the creation of the State Independent System Operator (SISO) and the State Market Operator (SMO) to manage grid stability, power scheduling, and commercial market settlements. Equipment Standards & Certification Agency, Establishes a specialized body responsible for certifying electrical equipment quality and verifying the professional competence of operators to prevent grid failures.
Consumer Protection & Infrastructure Safeguards, mandates universal end-user metering, protects privately and community-funded power infrastructure, and introduces strict legal penalties for electrical facility sabotage and vandalism.​
Speaking during the assent ceremony, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa emphasized the administration’s resolve to guarantee stable power supply for industrial and domestic use across Ondo State.​”This law gives Ondo State full regulatory authority over our energy future.
By establishing local market operators and regulatory standards, we are creating a transparent environment that protects consumers, prevents infrastructure sabotage, and attracts massive private investment into our energy sector,” Governor Aiyedatiwa declared.​
Highlighting the legislative backing behind the initiative, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, affirmed that the legislature fast-tracked the amendment bill to provide a robust framework capable of driving industrial growth across all three senatorial districts.​
Providing operational context, the Ondo State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Johnson Alabi, stated:​”With the creation of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission and specialized market operators, Ondo State moves from off-grid planning to full-scale grid control.
This guarantees investors fair market conditions while ensuring reliable, metered electricity for every household.”​The 2026 amendment builds on Ondo State’s transition from federal oversight by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to full state-level power regulation.
By legalizing localized tariff settings, open-access distribution models, and independent power production, the legislation positions industrial hubs, such as the Ore Industrial Zone and coastal development corridors to secure dedicated, uninterrupted power supplies.
