In response to the consistently inadequate supply of electricity around the nation, the federal government threatened on Wednesday to cancel the licenses of power distribution companies.
Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, announced this on Wednesday.
The minister announced via his X handle that the managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the CEOs of the Abuja and Ibadan electricity distribution companies, and the CEO of the Abuja electricity distribution company have been called to an important meeting to discuss the challenges facing the country at the moment.
“The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the worsening power supply in their respective regions and to collectively find lasting solutions,” he revealed.
He bemoaned the Discos’ inadequate distribution of electricity, given the existence of the producing corporations, saying “The ministry has been exerting pressure on the Generating Companies to enhance their performance, resulting in a recent increase in generation to over 4000MW. Despite this progress, certain distribution companies are failing to adequately distribute the power supplied by TCN, while vandalism of power infrastructure exacerbates the problem in regions such as Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan,”
In his statement, he vowed to hold all distribution organizations responsible for their actions, stating that “severe consequences, including license revocation, may be imposed” for willful non-performance.
“Additionally, I have instructed TCN to prioritise repair works on damaged transmission towers and power lines to improve supply in affected regions. During recent supervisory visits to power-generating plants, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by the sector,” he added.
“Plans are underway to settle outstanding debts owed to power generation and gas supply companies, which will alleviate the financial strain and contribute to improved generation levels nationwide. I urge electricity consumers to remain patient as we work tirelessly to address these issues and provide better service to all Nigerians.”
In January, Adelabu had blamed gas constraints on thermal generating companies for the drop in power supply nationwide before revealing that the FG owes a total of ₦1.3tn to the power generating companies weeks later.