Darkness Looms in Nigeria as FG Disconnects DisCos from National Grid Over Massive Debt
- The Federal Government has begun disconnecting debtor electricity distribution companies from the national grid
- The enforcement of the move is due to a huge debt that the DisCos owe the Federal Government
- As a result, millions of Nigerians may be plunged into darkness in the coming weeks
The Federal Government has commenced a nationwide disconnection of some electricity distribution companies (DisCos) from the national grid.
The move comes after the government repeatedly warned the DisCos to pay their outstanding debts. Unfortunately, the companies failed to heed the warnings, resulting in the government taking a drastic step to address the situation.
Source: Depositphotos
As a result, millions of Nigerians may be plunged into darkness in the coming weeks as the FG takes a firm stance against the country's defaulting electricity distribution companies.
According to Punch, the defaulting DisCos include Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electric, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company and Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
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Others are Ikeja Electric, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, APL Electric Company Aba, and Jos Electricity Distribution Company.
Two GenCos - Paras Energy and Niger Delta Power Holding Company plants are also listed among the debtors.
The Federal Government said it would enforce the directive through the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Market Operator.
Poor remittances by customers responsible for debt
Speaking in a statement informing customers of the mass disconnection, IBEDC's Managing Director and CEO, Kingsley Achife, blamed the debt on poor remittances by customers.
He said:
As a revenue collection arm of the electricity value chain, IBEDC sells and distributes electricity generated by the generation companies. However, the company is unable to meet its financial obligations to the electricity value chain due to poor payment and huge outstanding bills by customers.
We appeal to our esteemed customers to pay their current and outstanding bills to enable IBEDC to meet its obligations to the Market Operator and other parties in the electricity supply industry to ensure continuous and uninterrupted power supply.
Achife urged customers to promptly pay current and outstanding electricity bills to avoid disruption of power supply.
Nigerians lament poor electricity supply
In an earlier story, Legit.ng reported that many Nigerians have continued to lament the poor state of electricity in the country.
According to the report, even though a few areas had started to enjoy some significant improvement in power supply, the majority were still subjected to epileptic supply and can only account for not more than 3-4 hours of supply every day.
One respondent told Legit.ng that the situation had become unbearable as he never has light whenever he gets home from work and has had to rely on buying petrol for his power generator.
Another respondent said that he had to resort to installing an inverter after waiting helplessly for the situation to improve.
Source: Legit.ng
