In a recent move to address the issue of electricity theft in Nigeria, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Hamisu Ibrahim, has pledged the committee’s commitment to working with relevant bodies to pass legislation targeting electricity theft. Ibrahim made this declaration during an oversight visit to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) in Lagos on Monday.
Ibrahim expressed concern over the increasing rate of electricity theft, describing it as a serious challenge that the proposed legislation aims to tackle. He stressed that collaboration between the committee and electricity power companies would be crucial for ensuring effective and efficient power supply across the country. Ibrahim noted that such cooperation would enable the committee to understand the challenges faced by power companies and provide the necessary legislative support.
Highlighting the importance of the visit, Ibrahim stated that it aligned with the legislative functions of the committee to oversee privatised and concessioned enterprises under the Bureau of Public Enterprises. He affirmed the committee’s dedication to working closely with power companies to curb electricity theft by unscrupulous consumers. Additionally, he mentioned that the House of Representatives had passed a motion to expedite the recovery of debts owed by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to power companies.
During the visit, another committee member, Decour Damnemunene, raised concerns about the categorisation of customers under Band A, noting that many electricity consumers in this category were not paying for the power they consumed. This, he pointed out, further exacerbates the issues faced by power distribution companies.
The acting Managing Director of EKEDC, Mrs. R. Momoh, welcomed the committee members and highlighted the company’s achievements in reducing losses. Momoh stated that EKEDC had successfully lowered its Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collections (AtC&C) losses ratio from 35% in 2023 to 15.1% in 2024. She also mentioned that over 700,000 customers had been metered, and plans were underway to procure an additional 92,000 meters through the Federal Government Distribution Sector Recovery Programme.
Momoh emphasized EKEDC’s commitment to improving the power sector, revealing that the company had made significant strides in technology and infrastructure, including the provision of meters and transformers. She noted that EKEDC was the only distribution company consistently meeting its monthly remittance obligations to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company.
Despite these achievements, Momoh pointed out that EKEDC was facing financial challenges due to outstanding debts amounting to N144 billion owed by MDAs, including the Nigerian military, police, and various state government agencies. She stressed that these unpaid debts posed a significant hurdle to the company’s operations and the overall improvement of power supply in the region.
The House committee’s commitment to addressing these challenges through legislative measures and enhanced collaboration with power companies signals a proactive approach to tackling electricity theft and improving power supply in Nigeria.