House Committee Vows Crackdown on Electricity Theft, Lawmakers to Push for Tougher Legislation Amid Growing Power Sector Challenges
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Hamisu Ibrahim, has committed to spearheading new legislation aimed at curbing electricity theft across Nigeria. Speaking during an oversight visit to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) in Lagos on Monday, Ibrahim lamented the pervasive issue of electricity theft and highlighted the need for legislative measures to address the problem effectively.
In a statement released by Amina Othman, Head of Public Communications for the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ibrahim emphasised the importance of collaboration between the committee and power companies to enhance the efficiency of electricity supply. “Such partnerships are essential for understanding the challenges faced by these companies and crafting legislative solutions that can help mitigate these issues,” he stated.
Ibrahim also reiterated that the committee’s visit was part of its mandate to oversee privatised and concessioned enterprises managed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises. He stressed that tackling electricity theft by “unpatriotic consumers” is a priority, adding that the House has already passed a motion to expedite the recovery of debts owed by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to power companies.
Decour Damnemunene, a member of the committee, raised concerns about the categorisation of consumers in Band A, which he claimed has led to most electricity users not paying for the power they consume. This misalignment, he noted, exacerbates the financial challenges faced by the power sector.
During the visit, EKEDC’s Acting Managing Director, Mrs. R. Momoh, shared that the company has made significant strides in reducing its Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collections (ATC&C) losses. “We have reduced our losses from 35 per cent in 2023 to 15.1 per cent in 2024,” Momoh stated, highlighting the company’s efforts despite ongoing challenges in the sector.
Momoh also noted that EKEDC has successfully metered over 700,000 customers and is working closely with the Federal Government’s Distribution Sector Recovery Programme to procure an additional 92,000 meters. She further emphasised that EKEDC is the only distribution company that consistently fulfils its monthly remittance obligations to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company.
However, Momoh revealed that the company is still owed N144 billion by various MDAs within its operational area, including the Nigerian military, police, and other state government agencies, which have refused to settle their debts. These unpaid debts, she argued, pose a significant challenge to the company’s operations.
As the committee continues its oversight duties, Ibrahim affirmed the need for ongoing collaboration between lawmakers and the power sector to ensure that legislative and operational efforts align to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply and distribution infrastructure.
