Recently, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), threatened to withdraw licenses of electricity installation contractors who violate power industry rules.This, and many more are the functions of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), a Federal Government agency established NEMSA Act No.6 of 2015, under the Federal Ministry of Power. The unwholesome practice in the Electricity sector of the Nation, necessitated the Federal Government establishing an independent, professional and technical agency NEMSA to deal with these technical lapses in the industry.Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) enforces Technical Standards and Regulations, Technical Inspection, Testing and Certification of all categories of electrical installations.In line with the provisions of the NEMSA Act 2015 and Statutory Regulations, it is mandatory that All Electrical Installations in Power Plants / Stations, Transmission Networks / Systems, Distribution Networks/Systems, and other Allied Industries and Workplaces where Electricity is used; as well as All Electric Meters and Instruments to be deployed in NESI, are duly Inspected, Tested and Certified fit and safe by electrical inspectors of NEMSA and the NEMSA National Meter Test Stations before they can be put to use in Nigeria.It is also in charge of 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 for Related Matters.The worrisome decades of substandard electrical equipment/materials being used in the NESI warranted the establishment of the Agency. This, combined with vandalism, substandard construction practices and poor maintenance of power installations across the value chain of generation, transmission and distribution, including utilisation, which have plagued the development of the power sector in Nigeria birthed the Agency. After its establishment, the Agency ensures effective enforcement of technical standards, testing and certification of electrical installations in the NESI. The Agency ensures that electrical materials/equipment/instruments used in NESI are of the right quality, standards and specifications; The agency also sees to it that power systems and networks put in place have been well planned, properly designed and executed before use to ensure that such systems are capable of delivering safe, reliable and regular power supply to consumers nationwide.Beyond the aforementioned, NEMSA also has the mandate to ensure the safety of lives and property within NESI, off- grid networks (residential, commercial etc.) are guaranteed;
NEMSA makes sure electrical meters and instruments used in NESI are of the right type, class and accuracy for proper accountability of energy supplied, transmitted, delivered and utilized by the customers in the entire power supply value chain.It also supervises the certification and advancing the skills and expertise of all technical personnel engaged in practice of electrical installations along the value chain and utilization in NESI.NEMSA under the supervision of the Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Peter Ewesor to Provides other professional technical services for commercial opportunities in NESI including R & D, Transformer Testing/Repairs, Electricity Information Management Systems (EIMS), Specialized Healthcare Services, etc.The Agency also provides data, information and library services for stakeholders, investors, researchers, academia, etc. through the proposed Electricity Information Management Systems (EIMS).Engr. Peter Ewesor, who is the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation is a certified Engineer, whose expertise has taken him through many facets in the Electricity industry.Under his incredible leadership, NEMSA’s utmost goal has been to play its part in ridding the industry of quacks, unqualified electrical installation contractors and bad electrical installations in the country to ensure delivery of reliable power supply to Nigerians and ensure safety of their lives and property.Ewesor had led the pioneer management of NEMSA since late 2013 when the agency was still called Electricity Management Services Limited with no parliamentary backing.Managing Director of NEMSA, Peter Ewesor, frowns at the non-adherence to the electricity guidelines, which could lead to unnecessary loss of lives and property of Nigerians. Ewesor, lamented that the agency had observed several lapses in the power sector and other workplaces in the area of electrical installations, resulting in unstable networks and fire incidents.Some of the lapses include design and construction failures, improper planning and execution of electrical projects, use of substandard materials and equipment, deliberate oversight of procedures, codes and requirements for executing electricity projects as specified by regulations and standard codes of practice.
