Ewesor Pushes for LECAN Recognition to Improve Power Supply

The Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN) has urged the Federal Government to urgently gazette the association to give it the legal authority to regulate electrical installations and tackle quackery and energy theft in the South-South region.

The National Coordinator of LECAN, South-South Zone, Engr. Philip Ewesor, made the appeal during an interview, noting that although the association was established in 1961, the absence of legal backing has weakened its ability to enforce standards. He said unlike the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which are gazetted, LECAN remains without legal recognition despite its role in certifying electrical installations before they are connected to the national grid.
Ewesor explained that under the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) regulations, Form 74 must be completed for every new electricity connection and signed by a certified LECAN electrician. However, he alleged that electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) often ignore the requirement. He also identified the shortage of prepaid meters as a major challenge, saying many consumers are subjected to estimated billing. While commending the Federal Government’s free metering programme, he called for its acceleration and sustained implementation.
He further lamented the shortage of transformers, saying overloaded facilities frequently break down, leaving communities without electricity. According to him, even when community leaders provide transformers to improve supply, DISCOs sometimes insist that all outstanding debts must first be cleared before connecting them. Ewesor also accused the distribution companies of prioritising revenue over maintenance, citing poorly maintained substations that are vulnerable to vandalism.
The LECAN coordinator disclosed that the association has engaged the House of Representatives Committee on Power and the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), which he said expressed willingness to work with the association in promoting standards. He added that LECAN’s national leadership is pursuing legislative efforts to secure gazetting, stressing that legal recognition would strengthen its recommendations and improve regulation across the power sector.
Ewesor maintained that gazetting LECAN is in the interest of the nation’s electricity industry, saying it would help eliminate quackery, reduce vandalism and energy theft, and ensure that only certified professionals handle electrical installations, ultimately contributing to a more stable power supply in the South-South region.