Nigerian govt threatens to revoke DisCos licenses over power outages

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Wednesday, threatened to revoke the licenses of power distribution companies (DisCos) over persistent poor power supply in the country.

In a statement posted on his X platform on Wednesday, the minister confirmed that the chief executive officers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), and the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria have been summoned to a meeting to explain the current supply challenges in the country.

He expressed concern at the drop in power supplies despite attempts to improve the situation.

He vowed to hold all distribution companies accountable for their performance, saying “willful non-performance would not be tolerated by the government.

Adelabu wrote: “The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the worsening power supply in their respective regions and to collectively find lasting solutions.

“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.

READ ALSO: ‘Nigeria’s Power sector needs N1.2tn urgently to avoid collapse’

“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.

“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.”

Data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) revealed on Monday that the DisCos failed to distribute 1,769.91 megawatts of electricity between February 1 and February 14 despite the widespread blackout in the country.

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