Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has declared open the Akwa Ibom Electricity Summit 2025, describing it as a major turning point in the state’s quest for energy security and universal access to power.
Speaking at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, the Governor said the time had come for bold decisions to be taken in order to make the power sector work. He emphasised that the summit, themed “Attaining Energy Security and Universal Access for Akwa Ibom State within the Framework of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry,” must go beyond being another talk shop to producing a practical roadmap with timelines, clear responsibilities, and measurable outcomes.
Governor Eno underscored the importance of collaboration with the Federal Government, recalling the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Rural Electrification Agency to expand access in underserved communities. He stressed that Akwa Ibom’s electricity reforms would be anchored on transparency, professionalism, and partnerships with the private sector, development partners, and local communities.
In her welcome address, the Deputy Governor and Chairperson of the Summit Organising Committee, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, described the gathering as a historic moment not only for Akwa Ibom but for Nigeria as a whole. She said the passage of the Electricity Act 2023 and the State’s own Electricity Law 2025 had given Akwa Ibom the legal foundation to chart its own electricity market. Eyakenyi urged participants—including regulators, investors, development partners, and community leaders—to focus discussions on producing a State Electricity Sector Action Programme to guide implementation.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Minister of Power, represented by his Chief Technical Adviser, Adedoyin Oluwoniyi, lauded Governor Eno for taking a bold step toward energy reform, describing the summit as both timely and significant. Similar commendations came from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, represented by Victor Nwokolo, Chairman of the House Committee on Power, as well as representatives of the Governors of Enugu, Abia, Cross River, and Bayelsa States, who all praised Akwa Ibom for setting a precedent that other states could emulate.
The highpoint of the event was the official unveiling of the State Electricity Regulatory Policy and the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Law, jointly performed by Governor Eno, Deputy Governor Eyakenyi, the representative of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minister of Power’s representative, and other dignitaries.