A thorough examination of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), by Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Our Managing Editor, shows that sixty-five years after its formation, the Association is yet to be gazetted, as being demanded, by the Association. In the South-South, where power challenges persist, of what LECAN’s National Coordinator, Engr Philip Ewesor says is something to go by, the single act of gazetting and recognizing the association as the FG did for for Nigeria Barristers Association (NBA) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) could unlock reforms.
Nigeria’s power sector was unbundled to improve efficiency. Yet in Sourh-South, DISCOs still struggle with basic service delivery. The first failure point is metering. Without meters, consumers are placed on estimated billing.
Estimated billing is a major source of conflict. Consumers reject bills that do not reflect consumption, and rejection leads to energy theft. Illegal connections damage transformers and increase technical losses.
The second failure point is infrastructure. Distribution transformers are inadequate for the population. Overload is inevitable. And when a transformer fails, the replacement process is slow.
Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) anticipated these problems. It created Form 74 to ensure only certified electricians wire houses, but enforcement is weak because LECAN, the body of certified electricians, lacks legal backing, thus the need to gazet it like NBA and the NMA, for the expected improvement in the industry to be achieved.
With the gazetting of the NBA and NMA, both can discipline members and set standards. LECAN cannot. Established in 1961, it operates on moral authority alone.
The federal government has started free meter distribution. It is a step forward. But meters alone will not fix standards. DISCOs have also been accused of “customer capturing,” billing people without agreement. This practice undermines trust and revenue collection. People refuse to pay what they see as unjust.
Maintenance is another gap. Ewesor noted that substations are bushy and unprotected, making vandalism easy.
Communities are willing to help by donating transformers, but DISCOs impose debt-clearance conditions first. That policy discourages private investment in distribution infrastructure.
LECAN has engaged the House of Reps and Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA). The response has been positive but slow.
Conclusion: Gazetting LECAN will give it teeth to enforce standards, reduce quackery, and support DISCOs. In a sector bleeding losses, that may be the cheapest reform with the highest return.
