The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has given 86 government agencies, including the presidential villa, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) 10 days’ notice to pay up over N47 billion debt due as of December 2023 or risk having their establishments disconnected from grid power. The DisCo noted that the Presidential Villa owes the sum of N923.9 million; the National Security Adviser owes N95.9 million; the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) owes the sum of N7.57 billion, while the Ministry of Power owes N78 million.
The Ministry of State Petroleum owes N2.13 billion; the Ministry of Education, N1.82 billion; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), N1.56 billion; the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), N1.38 billion; MD World Bank, N17.60 million; Rivers State Governor’s Abuja liaison office, N15 million; Ogun State Governor’s Abuja liaison office, N1.51 million; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), N291.30 million; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), N75 million; Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), N60.55 million; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), N846 million; and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), N56.38 million.
It was further gathered that the Defence Headquarters is the most indebted with N12 billion; the Ministry of Finance owes N5.43 billion; and the Niger State Governor’s Abuja liaison office has a debt of N3.45 billion.
Others include the Ministries of Health, Information, Trade and Investment; Budget and Planning; Agriculture; Transport; Science and Technology; Women's Affairs; and Labour; among others.
The management of the company said: “The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) is constrained to do this publication with the details of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) with long outstanding unpaid bills for services rendered to them through the provision of electricity supply, in that our previous attempts to make them honor their obligations have not achieved the desired result.
“The relevant MDAs are hereby given notice that AEDC shall, after the expiration of 10 days from the date of this publication, that is, after Wednesday, 28th February 2024, embark on disconnection of our services to them until they discharge their obligations to us by paying their debts.”
It would be recalled that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, whose ministry owes the AEDC, has repeatedly complained that unpaid debt is one of the factors affecting Nigeria’s power sector. The minister, who called for a cost-reflective tariff, said lack of liquidity was a major constraint to the sector.
