Power Crisis: DisCos Challenge NNPC, TCN Over Conflicting Explanations

Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies have called for urgent intervention by the Federal Government to resolve disagreements among operators in the power sector, warning that the renewed exchange of blame could worsen the country’s persistent electricity crisis.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Sunday Oduntan, made the appeal on Monday while apologising to Nigerians for weeks of poor electricity supply.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Oduntan acknowledged the hardship caused by prolonged blackouts, saying electricity consumers deserved an apology from the distribution companies.

He, however, warned that the sector was returning to a pattern of mutual accusations that previously undermined efforts to improve electricity supply between 2016 and 2019.

According to him, the recurring disagreements among distribution companies, transmission operators, power generation companies and gas suppliers would not solve the problems affecting the industry.

Oduntan recalled that during the earlier period, DisCos blamed the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, while transmission operators pointed to generation companies. The generation companies, in turn, blamed gas suppliers and payment challenges.

He said the industry must avoid repeating the same pattern and concentrate on identifying the actual causes of the current shortages.

The ANED chief also questioned the explanations offered by the Nigerian Independent System Operator and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over the decline in electricity supply.

He said NISO had identified inadequate gas supply and low water levels affecting hydroelectric generation as some of the factors behind the shortfall.

However, he noted that the NNPC subsequently issued a statement indicating that gas was available, raising questions about the actual situation surrounding gas deliveries to power plants.

Oduntan insisted that the national oil company needed to clarify whether outstanding payments were affecting gas supply to electricity generation companies.

He argued that Nigerians and other industry stakeholders deserved clear information about whether gas was supplied, paid for and delivered to the relevant power plants.

He therefore urged the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, to take charge by convening all relevant operators to establish the facts and agree on practical solutions.

The call comes as households and businesses continue to struggle with unreliable electricity, forcing many consumers to depend on generators and other expensive alternatives.

Even customers under Band A, who are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily, have complained about supply falling below the promised level.

The situation has also increased pressure on small businesses and households already dealing with the high cost of petrol and diesel. The cost of installing solar systems and other alternative power arrangements remains beyond the reach of many consumers.

The power crisis has attracted criticism from Nigerians, including public figures who have expressed frustration over the impact of prolonged outages on daily life.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power said electricity supply had been restored to several areas in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Kwara states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, following repairs to a damaged 330-kilovolt Benin-Egbin transmission line.

According to the minister, the restoration increased electricity supply to the Lagos Complex to more than 1,000 megawatts, returning it to the level recorded before the disruption.

The latest developments have renewed scrutiny of the Federal Government’s electricity reform efforts and President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promise to improve power supply and end estimated billing.

For consumers, however, the immediate concern remains whether the latest interventions will translate into more reliable electricity rather than another round of explanations from industry operators.