Yenagoa, Jan. 23, 2026 — Bayelsa State has launched a new push to strengthen electricity regulation and improve power supply with the inaugural meeting of the leadership team of the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency (BYERA).
The Director General, Dr. Rosalyn Dressman, on Friday met with the agency’s six directors, outlining an early reform agenda focused on consumer protection, safety standards, market fairness, and investor confidence.
“This is not business as usual,” Dressman said during the meeting, stressing that the electricity sector must deliver better outcomes for households, businesses and long-term economic growth in the state.
Officials said the meeting signaled the start of a structured approach aimed at addressing persistent challenges in the power sector, including service instability, consumer complaints, weak enforcement of standards and limited accountability.
Directors assigned key regulatory roles
At the meeting, BYERA assigned responsibilities across six directorates designed to cover major functions within the electricity value chain.
The Director of Consumer Affairs will lead consumer protection efforts, handle complaints, promote transparency and drive public awareness initiatives on consumer rights and responsibilities.
The Director of Engineering Performance Monitoring will oversee technical standards, infrastructure monitoring and safety compliance, with a mandate to improve reliability and reduce risks linked to outages and accidents.
The Director of Finance and Management Services will manage internal controls, financial systems and administrative operations to support sustainability and transparency.
The Director of Legal, Licensing and Compliance will coordinate licensing of operators and enforcement of electricity regulations, ensuring market participants operate within approved frameworks.
The Director of Market Competition and Risk will promote fair competition, assess market risks and address practices that could harm consumers or discourage investment.
The Director of Planning, Research, Training and Strategy will guide long-term planning, policy research, capacity building and data-driven decision-making in line with industry best practices.
BYERA outlines first 90-day priorities
BYERA said it has mapped out targets for its first three months, beginning with statewide sensitisation to explain the agency’s regulatory direction to residents, businesses and key stakeholders.
The agency plans to hold town hall meetings across communities to collect consumer feedback and address longstanding concerns, alongside technical meetings with electricity operators on safety, quality and performance standards.
It also plans investor engagements, aimed at positioning Bayelsa as an emerging market for energy investment under a more predictable regulatory environment.
A key priority, officials said, is the introduction and enforcement of technical safety and quality performance standards, a measure expected to improve service delivery and reduce recurring faults and operational inefficiencies.
Smart metering push
As part of the reform drive, BYERA said it is encouraging the adoption of smart meters, including GPS-enabled meters, to improve billing accuracy, reduce energy theft and strengthen transparency between consumers and service providers.
Officials said the shift could help rebuild trust in the sector, which has been strained by billing disputes and complaints over service quality.
Economic implications
Stakeholders say improved electricity reliability could have significant implications for Bayelsa’s economy, particularly for small businesses, artisans, agro-processors and other enterprises that rely heavily on generators.
BYERA said the reforms are designed to support industrial growth by reducing operating costs, improving productivity and attracting new investment into the state.
The agency said implementation of its early action plan will begin in the coming weeks, with residents and businesses expected to monitor progress as the reforms roll out
