Stakeholders in Nigeria's electrical industry reaffirmed calls for coordinated reforms, increased transparency, and a systematic transition to cleaner energy as the Nigeria electrical Supply Industry Week 2026 was officially launched in Abuja.

According to its organisers, the project aims to address long-standing industry difficulties by encouraging continued collaboration among regulators, operators, policymakers, and investors.

Obiorah Anthony, Chief Executive Officer of NESI Platform Limited and Chairman of the NESI Week Steering Committee, described the inauguration as a watershed moment in Nigeria's energy and sustainability ecosystem.

Remember that the National Sports Commission last week announced full government support for the inaugural Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Games, calling the idea as a strategic platform to strengthen cohesiveness within the power sector and promote the sports economy.

Anthony said in a statement on Thursday that the country was at a crossroads that required deliberate institutional collaboration, creativity, and a clear path from policy to implementation.

"Today represents a watershed moment in Nigeria's energy and sustainability landscape. It is my great joy to officially announce the commencement of NESI Week 2026, which will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from November 15 to 22.

He stressed that the sector’s pressing needs, including stronger institutional collaboration, structured innovation pipelines, youth engagement, enterprise visibility and national cohesion, could no longer be addressed through isolated engagements.

“These needs cannot be addressed through isolated conversations. They require integration. They require structure. They require a national platform. NESI Week was designed to serve that purpose,” Anthony stated.

Nigeria privatised its power sector in 2013 following reforms under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, unbundling the former state monopoly into generation and distribution companies, while transmission remained under government control through the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

More than a decade later, however, the sector remains fragile. Average generation continues to hover far below installed capacity, while debts across the value chain have risen into trillions of naira. Distribution companies also face persistent revenue shortfalls and liquidity challenges.

The metering gap remains wide, with millions of electricity consumers still unmetered, fuelling disputes and estimated billing complaints. Repeated national grid collapses have further undermined public confidence, disrupted businesses and households and exposed weaknesses in transmission infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, Anthony said the organisation created a platform that would consistently hold the sector accountable and stimulate solution-driven dialogue.

He added that the energy ecosystem must evolve in line with global sustainability goals.

“We want to move the industry beyond talk shops to measurable commitments and implementation. We are making deliberate efforts to encourage a transition towards renewable energy, because that is the global direction. Reducing carbon emissions and promoting alternative sources of energy is no longer optional. It is necessary,” the statement read.

According to him, NESI Week would integrate five pillars, NESI Games, Innovation Challenge, CEO and Policy Forum, Expo and Awards, into a unified national platform.

“It is not five separate events. It is one coordinated ecosystem. The CEO and Policy Forum will provide a space for frank engagement, and commitments made will be tracked and reviewed yearly,” Anthony explained.

He noted that the event would bring together regulators such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, generation and distribution companies, investors, policymakers and legislators for outcome-driven discussions.

Anthony also announced that the NESI Games 2026 would be Nigeria’s first fully carbon-measured corporate multi-sport event, aligned with global sustainability standards.

He stated, “This is not a symbolic declaration. This is a measurable commitment. Aligned with global best practices and the principles of the United Nations Sports for Climate Action initiative, NESI Games will establish a transparent carbon accounting framework.”

He said the framework would track direct and indirect emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3, covering fuel and energy use, electricity consumption, participant travel, accommodation, catering, logistics, waste and merchandise.

“At the conclusion of NESI Week 2026, a carbon summary report will be published. Let me be clear: we will measure, we will reduce, and we will report transparently,” he said.

According to him, the initiative reflects the belief that if the energy industry can decarbonise its own event, it can decarbonise its operations.

“This commitment reflects a deeper truth. If the energy industry can decarbonise its own sporting event, it can decarbonise its operations. NESI Games will not only promote unity and wellness; it will set a sustainability benchmark for corporate Nigeria,” Anthony added.

He explained the program's timetables, indicating that registration for the NESI Games will take place from April 1 to May 31, followed by regional qualifiers in June and August, national quarter-finals in October, and finals from November 15 to 20.

He stated that the Innovation Challenge will take place from July to November, ending in a live hackathon and pitch sessions, and that the Awards would be evaluated rigorously and transparently.

Anthony encouraged institutions, innovators, and industry leaders to engage.Register and compete at institutions across Nigeria. To the innovators, build and submit. Encourage industry leaders to engage and collaborate. "To partners and sponsors, align strategically, including in sustainability and carbon measurement partnerships," stated the president.

He also urged the media to promote credible national measures aimed at boosting the sector.

With increasing pressure to secure electricity supply and enhance energy access, stakeholders believe that continued collaboration, openness, and verifiable outcomes will be critical to rebuilding trust and unleashing investment in the power industry.

The statement concluded, "With clarity of purpose, structured planning, national ambition, and measurable environmental responsibility, we hereby formally declare the official start of NESI Week 2026." Allow us to collaborate, create, compete responsibly, and develop together."