2025

In this piece, Barr. Jumoke Delano and Dr Stella Odiase reflect on Nigeria’s evolving subnational electricity market landscape. They liken the process of setting up a Sate Electricity Market (SEM) to construction with childhood building blocks—a process that is sometimes exciting, sometimes frustrating, but always requiring patience, creativity, and structure.

This article unpacks the critical steps, emerging lessons, and key considerations for States navigating this transition. While setting up a market isn’t mandatory, ensuring better electricity access is—whether through SEMS or alternative pathways.

Jumoke Delano and Habiba Ali unpack the mini-grid and how it can bridge the gap between electricity demand and supply, especially among last-mile customers. Through the imagery of the oft-overlooked overlooked middle child, they draw from practical experience to highlight the merits of mini grids including scalability, adaptability, and inter-connectivity, in for bridging Nigeria’s electricity access gap.