Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has signalled a possible policy shift in the state’s power sector, vowing to challenge what he described as monopolistic control in electricity distribution as public pressure mounts over poor supply and billing practices.

The governor made the declaration on Monday in Benin City when he stopped at the take-off point of a protest against the Benin Electricity Distribution Plc, where residents and civil society groups had gathered to demand reforms in the way electricity is distributed across the state.

Addressing the crowd, Okpebholo argued that the current structure of power distribution limits efficiency, saying government is considering opening the sector to more operators, similar to the competitive model used in the telecommunications industry, to improve service delivery.

According to the governor, discussions are already underway, with plans to convene stakeholders and potential investors at the Government House to explore how policy and regulatory engagement could attract more players into electricity distribution in Edo State.

He acknowledged that complaints against Benin Electricity Distribution Plc cut across urban and rural communities, stressing that the issue of erratic supply and billing affects households, businesses, and public confidence in governance.

Leaders of the protest say the governor’s appearance marked a rare moment of official recognition of their grievances, with civil society groups insisting that sustained policy action, not promises, would determine whether the sector sees meaningful change.

Speaking earlier, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi of the Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria said residents are demanding accountability, warning that unless regulatory and policy reforms are enforced, public dissatisfaction with electricity governance in Edo State will continue to grow.