Regulatory Barriers to Renewable Energy Integration in Nigeria’s Petroleum-Dominant Legal Framework

This study identifies and analyses regulatory barriers to renewable energy integration within Nigeria's petroleum-centred legal and policy framework, with emphasis on how existing laws may inadvertently obstruct the energy transition. Nigeria's energy policy landscape, shaped primarily by petroleum interests, has been slow to accommodate solar, wind, and gas-to-power alternatives within a coherent regulatory architecture. The research employs a doctrinal legal analysis approach, critically reviewing the Electricity Act 2023, the PIA 2021, the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP), and comparative international frameworks from Kenya and South Africa. Secondary data are drawn from Energy Commission of Nigeria publications and relevant academic literature from 2020 to 2024. Findings reveal that licensing duplication, tax incentive gaps, and unclear grid access rights under existing petroleum law inhibit renewable project development. The study recommends legal harmonisation between petroleum and electricity regulatory frameworks and the establishment of a single energy transition licensing window. These findings contribute to the scholarly discourse on energy law reform and are relevant to policymakers, investors, and law practitioners in Nigeria. Keywords: renewable energy, petroleum law, energy transition, regulatory barriers, Nigeria.