▁started ▁with ▁the ▁Niger ▁D ams ▁Author ity ▁which ▁controlled ▁the ▁D ams ▁around ▁Sh ir oro ▁and ▁River ▁Niger . ▁Due ▁to ▁ab ys mal ▁power ▁cr ises ▁in ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁Niger ia , ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁President ▁Ol use gun ▁Ob as an jo ▁made ▁efforts ▁through ▁the ▁National ▁Council ▁for ▁Priv at isation / B ureau ▁for ▁Public ▁Service ▁( under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁Nas ir ▁A hm ad ▁el - R uf ai ▁to ▁reform ▁the ▁sector ▁which ▁has ▁seen ▁no ▁invest ment ▁or ▁major ▁government ▁attention ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁N ER C ▁was ▁formed ▁through ▁the ▁E PS R Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁with ▁R ams ome ▁O wan ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁Chair man / CE O . ▁Dr . ▁R ans ome ▁O wan , ▁a ▁US ▁trained ▁scient ist ▁who ▁once ▁worked ▁for ▁G E , ▁was ▁appointed ▁for ▁a ▁five - year ▁term ▁as ▁the ▁executive ▁Chair man ▁of ▁N ER C . ▁On ▁his ▁team ▁included ▁other ▁Niger ians ▁living ▁in ▁D ias por a ▁who ▁came ▁in ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁N ER C . ▁ ▁N ER C ▁was ▁given ▁additional ▁respons ib ilities ▁for ▁setting ▁up ▁and ▁admin ister ing ▁a ▁fund ▁called ▁“ Power ▁Cons umer ▁Ass istance ▁Fund ” ▁which ▁shall ▁subs id ize ▁under priv ile ged ▁power ▁consum ers ▁in ▁Niger ia