The National Assembly has disclosed that it is intensifying efforts on a Bill to combat energy theft through stricter penalties, enhanced enforcement, and improved protection of electricity assets.
Chairman of the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Hon. Hamisu Ibrahim, disclosed this when he led members of the committee on oversight visit to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC), on Wednesday.
He said the National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening legislative measures aimed at curbing the increasing menace of energy theft across Nigeria’s power sector.
Hon. Ibrahim, speaking during an interactive session with the Executive Management of IBEDC, said: “Energy theft has become a major obstacle to efficient electricity distribution in Nigeria.
“We are working on a robust legal framework that will decisively address this menace and safeguard infrastructure investments.”
He also pledged the support of the House Committee to help electricity distribution companies (DisCos) recover huge outstanding debts owed by federal and state ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments.
According to him, the committee was ready to collaborate with the DisCos to ensure that the debts were duly settled to strengthen liquidity across the power sector.
“I want to assure the DisCos that this committee is going to stand firm to ensure these debts are recovered,” Hon. Ibrahim added.
Managing Director/CEO of IBEDC, Engr. Francis Agoha, had earlier called for the intervention of the National Assembly in the twin challenges of energy theft and outstanding debts by federal and state institutions.
He emphasised that the two issues have significantly constrained liquidity across the market, affecting the capacity of IBEDC to further expand and fortify its distribution infrastructure.
Engr. Agoha briefed the committee on IBEDC’s investments and infrastructure improvements since the 2013 privatisation.
He highlighted the progress made in network expansion, metering, safety, and customer service delivery and also outlined the company’s strategic plans for future growth, while noting the challenges faced.
“We have significantly expanded and rehabilitated our distribution network, but the challenges of energy theft, vandalism, and outstanding government debts continue to undermine our service delivery.
“We appreciate the National Assembly’s willingness to intervene,” he said.
The House Committee inspected critical distribution infrastructure of IBEDC during the visit
The visit was part of the mandate of the legislative arm of government to assess the performance of the power sector, identify operational challenges, and compliance with regulatory standards since privatisation.
Other members of the committee present during the visit included Honourables Ganiyu Ayuba (Alimosho Federal Constituency (Lagos); Donatus Mathew (Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna); Omirin Olusanya (Atakunmosa/Ilesa, Osun), and representatives from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
