BY AKUDORO GLORIA
The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) have strengthened their collaboration by signing a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The partnership aimed to enhance electrical safety compliance with regards to electrical incidences in residential, commercial and industrial premises/buildings as well as the building compliance to insurance policy.
The MoU, signed at NAICOM, is intended to establish a collaborative framework between NEMSA and NAICOM to ensure that as a precondition, all electrical installations in residential, commercial, industrial premises, hazardous locations, industries and factories are duly certified by NEMSA, before Insurance Policy is processed by all Insurance Companies.
This partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the reliability and safety of Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA, Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, described the partnership with NAICOM as a significant advancement in the quest to accelerating safety and risk management within the power sector.
The MD/CEO of NEMSA who also doubles as the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, emphasized the importance of this collaboration in mitigating risks associated with electrical accidents and infrastructure failures.
His words: “The partnership with NAICOM is a significant step toward ensuring that all electricity customers, operators and investors adhere to the highest safety and risk management standards. By integrating insurance compliance into electrical safety enforcement. We are safeguarding lives, investment, and the overall integrity of the power sector.”
He added that going forward, “It will also be a requirement by NEMSA that all facility applicants of its statutory inspection, testing and certification, should ensure that their facilities are insured with insurance companies for safety and mitigation of risk.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of NAICOM, Mr. Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, reiterated NAICOM’s commitment to ensuring that all power sector players embrace insurance as a critical risk management tool.
According to Omosehin, insurance plays a crucial role in cushioning the effects of electrical hazards and infrastructure-related incidents.
“Through this MoU, we will work closely with NEMSA to enforce compliance with relevant insurance policies, ensuring that the power sector operates with adequate risk mitigation mechanism in place”, he assured.
A statement issued by NEMSA’s Head of Communication and Protocol Unit, Mrs. Ama Umoren, indicated that the collaboration will involve joint awareness campaigns, regulatory enforcement, and information-sharing initiatives to promote electrical safety and insurance adoption across the power sector.
Mrs. Umoren emphasized that this strategic partnership marks a milestone in the drive to enhance safety, reliability, and sustainability within Nigeria’s electricity industry and the country at large.