Electricity Distribution Companies have formally apologised to Nigerians over the persistent power shortages affecting households and businesses across the country.
The apology comes as public frustration mounts over the failure of the grid to provide the required supply, especially for customers on the premium Band A tariff who are entitled to a minimum of 20 hours of daily electricity.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, tendered the apology on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, however, called on the Minister of Power to intervene as stakeholders trade words over the crisis.
He condemned the explanations offered by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) regarding the true cause of the crisis.
While NISO attributed the drop in supply to low water levels and gas shortages, the NNPC revealed that gas was available for generation. Oduntan then raised concern about the position of the oil company, urging transparency on whether the gas had been paid for and delivered to generation companies.
“From the NNPC statement, it is very clear that they came to tell us half-truths. What I would have expected NNPC to do is to go ahead and talk to us whether there are payment issues. We need to know whether gas was paid for and delivered, who did, who didn’t.”
The ANED CEO urged the Minister of Power to take charge and summon the relevant stakeholders to establish the actual causes of the supply deficit. He stated that the sector has returned to the blame game between DisCos, transmission operators, and generation companies that characterised the industry between 2016 and 2019.
The persistent blackouts, compounded by extreme dry-season heat and the El Niño climate pattern, have drawn reactions from citizens who rely on expensive alternatives like petrol, diesel, and solar panels.
Veteran actress Kate Henshaw lamented that households have been forced to become mini-factories to generate their own power, while content creator Cute Abiola directed his grievances to the President in a recent video.
The ongoing crisis has renewed public attention on President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promise to resolve the nation’s electricity challenges. During the 2023 election cycle, the President restated his commitment to ending estimated billing and ensuring steady power supply for all citizens.
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