The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has called on the Federal Government to prioritise the settlement of long-standing electricity debts owed by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) by making energy bills a direct first-line charge on approved government budgets.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, ANED Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, warned that delayed payments from public institutions are severely exacerbating financial distress across Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). To address the liquidity crisis, Oduntan urged authorities to empower DisCos to disconnect defaulting MDAs and pursue legal avenues to recover all outstanding revenues.
Beyond debt recovery, Oduntan outlined several critical measures to stabilize the distribution sector and improve national power supply:
Access to Capital: Securing affordable, long-term financing to fund the expansion, modernisation, and long-term survival of the distribution grid.
Service and Billing Transparency: Enhancing customer service standards and ensuring clear, accurate billing processes for end-users.
Off-Grid Expansion: Deploying mini-grid and off-grid power solutions to reach rural and underserved communities.
Public Accountability: Establishing robust oversight mechanisms that allow consumers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to hold DisCos accountable for delivery performance.
Oduntan emphasized that combining accelerated metering, aggressive revenue collection, accessible financing, and strict public accountability remains the only viable path toward a financially sustainable power sector.
