174
M. U. Ukponu et al.
helps to stimulate healthy competition among the component units in
various economic sectors, potentially resulting in sectoral and/or general
development through the competitive efforts of the component units.
138
Paradoxically, there has been minimal or no healthy competition
among the States with respect to exercising their constitutional powers
to engage in off-grid/rural electricity development in line with Nigeria’s
federal structure. As laudable as RESIP is, it is apparently driven by
‘regulatory centralism’—a situation where a particular sector is organized in a way that everything flows from the centre with little room
for the component units to exercise any authority or powers. Regulatory centralism is antithetical to cooperative federalism. In Sect. 5.3, this
chapter referred to s 4 of the Mini-Grid Regulations empowering NERC
to regulate all mini-grid stakeholders, including institutions and agencies
of the States that interact with mini-grid operators, with no indication
of a prior express acquiescence by the States. Were the States allowed
to promote off-grid/rural electricity in concert with the Federal Government, then rural electrification through mini-grid solutions would have
been much faster than the status quo. Apparently, the Federal Government has not substantially engaged with the States in off-grid/rural
electricity programmes, a situation Bulman-Pozen and Gerken may term
‘uncooperative federalism’.
139
Rapid electrification and energy transition can be achieved through
cooperative federalism, enabling cooperation between the Federal and
State Governments to promote these shared objectives, subject to constitutional delineations. The REA, statutorily mandated to promote rural
electrification, is an appropriate platform to explore cooperative federalism for the purpose of driving faster outcomes in rural electrification
through both on-grid and off-grid solutions. To achieve a coordinated
approach to implementing rural electrification, it is suggested that the
138 This healthy competition was exemplified during the pre-independence and early postindependence eras. In a federated state, the Western region blazed the trail in education and the
media; the Northern region set the pace in agriculture, and the Eastern region promoted industries and commerce. In these various sectors, each region tried to emulate, and out-pace the
other and this regional competition contributed to the economic boom that Nigeria experienced
during those eras.
139 Jessica Bulman-Pozen and Heather K Gerken, ‘Uncooperative Federalism’ (2008–2009) 118
Yale Law Journal 1256.
M. U. Ukponu et al.
helps to stimulate healthy competition among the component units in
various economic sectors, potentially resulting in sectoral and/or general
development through the competitive efforts of the component units.
138
Paradoxically, there has been minimal or no healthy competition
among the States with respect to exercising their constitutional powers
to engage in off-grid/rural electricity development in line with Nigeria’s
federal structure. As laudable as RESIP is, it is apparently driven by
‘regulatory centralism’—a situation where a particular sector is organized in a way that everything flows from the centre with little room
for the component units to exercise any authority or powers. Regulatory centralism is antithetical to cooperative federalism. In Sect. 5.3, this
chapter referred to s 4 of the Mini-Grid Regulations empowering NERC
to regulate all mini-grid stakeholders, including institutions and agencies
of the States that interact with mini-grid operators, with no indication
of a prior express acquiescence by the States. Were the States allowed
to promote off-grid/rural electricity in concert with the Federal Government, then rural electrification through mini-grid solutions would have
been much faster than the status quo. Apparently, the Federal Government has not substantially engaged with the States in off-grid/rural
electricity programmes, a situation Bulman-Pozen and Gerken may term
‘uncooperative federalism’.
139
Rapid electrification and energy transition can be achieved through
cooperative federalism, enabling cooperation between the Federal and
State Governments to promote these shared objectives, subject to constitutional delineations. The REA, statutorily mandated to promote rural
electrification, is an appropriate platform to explore cooperative federalism for the purpose of driving faster outcomes in rural electrification
through both on-grid and off-grid solutions. To achieve a coordinated
approach to implementing rural electrification, it is suggested that the
138 This healthy competition was exemplified during the pre-independence and early postindependence eras. In a federated state, the Western region blazed the trail in education and the
media; the Northern region set the pace in agriculture, and the Eastern region promoted industries and commerce. In these various sectors, each region tried to emulate, and out-pace the
other and this regional competition contributed to the economic boom that Nigeria experienced
during those eras.
139 Jessica Bulman-Pozen and Heather K Gerken, ‘Uncooperative Federalism’ (2008–2009) 118
Yale Law Journal 1256.