KEY POINTS
- Nigeria’s Senate has confirmed Aisha Mahmud Kanti Bello and Animashaun Fouad Olayinka as commissioners of the electricity regulator, NERC.
- Lawmakers also approved three non-career ambassadors, the first diplomatic nominees sent to the Senate by President Tinubu.
- More than 60 additional ambassadorial nominees have been screened and are awaiting confirmation.
Nigeria’s Senate has confirmed two commissioners for the electricity regulator, NERC, reinforcing oversight at a time of continued reform in the power sector, while also approving a first batch of non-career ambassadorial nominees put forward by President Bola Tinubu.
The upper chamber on Tuesday approved the appointments of Aisha Mahmud Kanti Bello and Animashaun Fouad Olayinka as commissioners of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. Bello was re-appointed, while Olayinka joins the commission as a new member.
The confirmation was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio following the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Power. The report was presented during plenary by the committee’s chairman, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South.
The move comes as Nigeria’s electricity market continues to grapple with longstanding challenges, including tariff reform, grid reliability and regulatory certainty for investors. NERC plays a central role in setting tariffs, licensing operators and enforcing compliance across the power value chain.
Diplomatic confirmations broaden Tinubu’s slate of nominees
Alongside the power sector approvals, the Senate also confirmed three non-career ambassadors, marking the first set of diplomatic nominees submitted by Tinubu since he assumed office in May 2023. Those confirmed are Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are from Ogun State, Aminu Muhammad Dalhatu from Jigawa State and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke, CFR, from Oyo State.
Their confirmation followed the adoption of a separate report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which conducted screening hearings last week. The nominees were formally transmitted to the Senate by the president on November 26.
While the three confirmations represent an initial step, a larger group of ambassadorial nominees remains under consideration. A total of 64 other nominees, already screened by the Senate, are yet to receive final approval.
Tinubu has since forwarded additional names for both career and non-career diplomatic postings, signalling a gradual build-up of Nigeria’s foreign missions after a prolonged period with vacant ambassadorial positions.
Among those nominated in subsequent batches are former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, immediate past Independent National Electoral Commission chairman Mahmood Yakubu, former minister Femi Fani-Kayode and former presidential aide Reno Omokri. Others include former Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu, ex-Lagos deputy governor Femi Pedro, businessman and senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and former Ekiti first lady Angela Adebayo.
The list also features several women across career and non-career categories, with four women named among career ambassadorial nominees and six among non-career nominees, according to details presented to lawmakers.
The confirmations underscore the Senate’s dual role in shaping regulatory leadership at home and approving Nigeria’s diplomatic representation abroad. For the administration, filling both regulatory and ambassadorial positions is seen as part of a broader effort to stabilise key institutions and project policy coherence, even as economic and power sector reforms continue to test public confidence.
