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Revoke Lincences Of Non-performing DisCos, FG Orders NERC
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The Federal Government on Monday issued marching orders to its agencies regulating the power sector, directing the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to withdraw lincences of non-performing electricity distribution companies, DisCos.
The government accused the DisCos of not doing enough to improve supply despite the availability of power on the national grid.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu who stated this during a meeting with the head of the agencies in Abuja said the distribution segment remains the weakest link in the electricity supply value chain.
Chief Adelabu stressed that NERC must look for creative ways of getting the DisCos to improve supply including the imposition of stiff sanctions on utilities which fail to pick their allocations and outright cancellation of lincences.
He insisted that the franchise areas covered by the DisCos were too large, adding the government would pursue a restructuring that would create smaller DisCos with companies restricted to one state each.
“Distribution is our weakest point and it is the closest to the consumers. If we don’t get distribution right, to Nigerians, we’re not doing anything. So, efforts need to be put on this. In fact, we must intensify our efforts in ensuring that we address all issues relating to distribution.
“It is true that the distribution companies are in the hands of the private sector. We don’t have direct control. But we need to compel them for performance. They must perform. If they do not perform, all our effort in generation, in transmission is zero. I’ve also had a meeting with the Chairman of NERC on how we’re going to address these performance issues of the electricity distribution companies across the nation.
“Why we have new policies in our power sector policy framework, which we’re going to finalize to address long-term issues in distribution, we must proffer short-term solutions to the lingering crisis. Before we get to that, we’re talking about the issue of the capitalization of the discourse, for them to inject funds, to improve infrastructure.
“We are talking about issues of restructuring the DisCos along state lines, to make them manageable in size. Also, issuing new franchises to smaller DisCos to take over areas not being served by the existing ones or that have been underserved by the existing ones.
“I’ve said it before now that non performance of DisCos in terms of epileptic power supply qualifies as a basis for revocation of license. Any DisCo that is found-wanting will be severely dealt with because their actions or inactions directly affect the performance of the sector”.
The Minister pointed out that wilful refusal by any DisCo to take up available power “is a qualified basis for the revocation of lincences too”, adding that the distribution companies must be ready to pick up 90-99 percent of load allocated to them.”
He described the ongoing electricity rationing across the country as unacceptable, disclosing the government plans to improve power generation from the present 4,000MW to 6,000MW in the next six months.
This, he said, would be achieved by paying off substantial debts owed to power generation companies and gas suppliers. “So what we are looking at is to have an agreement to ramp up to a minimum of 6,000 megawatts within the next three to six months. I know that the highest we ever generated was 5,700, about three years ago. That was specifically November, 2021.
“And this 5,700 was also distributed. If we could achieve 5,700 at that time, I believe we still have infrastructure to generate between 6,000 and 6,500. In terms of the generating companies, I have no doubt in my mind that the existing capacity can give us 6,500 once there is stability in supply of gas.
“I’ve been to a number of the generating companies and I confirmed that they have this installed capacity. And a large percentage of this installed capacity is operational, but they are not available because of low or shortage in gas supply. Once there is gas supply, we want to ramp up generation to a minimum 6,000MW”.
He noted that while the Federal Government would continue to pay electricity subsidies in the short-term, it plans to gradually phase it out in the next three years and return the sector to a commercially driven tariff.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Engr. Sule Abdulaziz explained that the fire that engulfed its substation in Kano happened while its engineers were trying to fix a leakage from one of its transformers.
He disclosed that power has been restored to most parts of the commercial city, adding that the remaining feeders would be restored before the end of Monday.
“The transformer involved was having some leakages. So our engineering team went there to work on it. They took an outage, followed all the requirements to do a maintenance job and they did it successfully.
“Now as they were putting back the transformer oil on the transformer, unfortunately, the filtering machine they were using caught fire.
“And before they could do anything, the fire had spread even to the second transformer. But thank God, with the help of the fire brigade, we were able to quench the fire”, he added.
Vanguard had reported how the minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu had summoned chief executive officers of two Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to a meeting over worsening supply situations in their regions.
Those invited to the meeting are chief executive officers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBDC).
Also summoned to the meeting is Mr Sule Abdulazeez, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The summon is contained in a letter signed by Mr B.U Mustapha, Director, Distribution Services, Ministry of Power.
The management of other non-performing distribution companies would also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on the situation in their regions.
The two DisCos have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions in spite of improved supply from TCN.
Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations at the ministry stated on Saturday in Abuja that gas shortage notwithstanding, electricity generation had been ramped up to more than 4000mw in recent days.
“The ministry expects power supply to have improved across the country, as opposed to current experience in some regions.
“Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN, while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions,’’ he stated.
The camp of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has kicked against the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The former Kaduna governor has spent 200 days in detention since he was taken into the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
A statement by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, said El-Rufai is entitled to justice, due process and equal treatment under the law.
He described the former governor as a political prisoner, alleging that he is being detained simply because he decided to chart a different political path, as provided for in Nigeria’s Constitution.
The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) have signed a peace accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The historic signing took place at the National Christian Centre on Friday in Abuja during the 2026 National Christian Youth Security Summit and Thanksgiving Service, held under the theme: “Empowered for Leadership, Service and Nation Building.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the peace accord aimed at fostering religious tolerance, rejecting political violence, and promoting peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 elections.
The three-day summit, brought together security officials, government representatives, Church leaders, and youth delegates from across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), five CAN blocs, and six geopolitical zones.
Delivering his welcome address, the National Chairman of YOWICAN, Ven. Evang. Ademola Arowolo, described the peace accord as a “covenant of hope and a declaration of unity” designed to curb electoral violence and interfaith friction from the national level down to the grassroots.
”Today marks a defining moment in the history of youth engagement, faith-based leadership, national security advocacy, and interfaith collaboration in Nigeria.
“This Peace Accord represents more than a document. It is a covenant of hope, a declaration of unity, and a collective commitment by Christian and Muslim youths to work together in promoting peace, justice, dialogue, tolerance, and national development.”
Addressing newsmen during an interview, Arowolo emphasised the sanctity of human life and urged young people to resist political thuggery and vote-buying as the country prepares for the next electoral cycle.
”The key objective of today’s gathering is for the Christian youth of this country to sit down and see that security is very important, because every life whether of a Muslim, a Christian, or any other faith is sacred.
“God Himself does not divide us; it is human beings that divide us in their own mindsets.
“An idle man is the devil’s workshop, but as elections approach, if somebody meets you for any violence, tell them your children should not come. We cannot destroy our own land,” he said.
Corroborating the commitment, the National President of NACOMYO, Sani Sulaiman-Maigoro, stressed that interfaith solidarity remained the most viable tool to defeat security threats and political manipulation.
”First and foremost is for us to accept the reality that we are first Nigerians, and Nigeria is our country. Together we live and prosper, and when we are divided, we all suffer.
“When we work together, we are able to defeat the negative narrative and those few people who choose to be evil and divide us along religious, ethnic, or sectional lines.
“Nigerian Muslim youths are here in solidarity with Christian youths to say we are together towards securing and making Nigeria a better place for all,” he said.
Representing President Bola Tinubu, and First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, cautioned young people against allowing politicians to use them as instruments of destruction.
”We are meeting at a very crucial time in the history of our great nation a period when we are moving towards another election
“It should be a period that none of you will be used as a sacrificial lamb. We don’t want any politician to use you and waste your life.
“The Muslim and the Christian in Nigeria must work together; we are brothers and sisters, and it is only when you have peace that you can talk of progress.”
The President of CAN, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, urged Christian youths to rise as nation-builders and moral exemplars.
Okoh, represented by Rev. Simon Dolly-KIF, the Secretary-General of Northern Christian Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA), urged youths to rise beyond the limitations of yesterday.
“The time has come for Nigerian Christian youths to rise beyond the limitations of yesterday and embrace the responsibility of building the Nigeria we desire to see tomorrow.
“Let no Christian youth become an instrument of violence, hatred, manipulation, or destruction.
“We must refuse to be recruited into anything that destroys the lives and future of our fellow Nigerians. Nigeria is bigger than our ethnicity, denomination, and political differences.”
Highlighting the security perspective, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), noted that peace was essential for youth productivity.
Muse, represented by Mr Musa Likita, Special Adviser on Security and Intelligence to the Minister of Defence, recognised the important role of the youth in national development under a whole-of-society approach.
“The youth are full of energy, creativity, and innovation, so they will thrive better when the environment is peaceful.
“Youths are implored to hold values where they will not allow themselves to be exploited by extremist forces or criminal elements.”
(NAN)
By Gloria Ikibah
Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has expanded his electricity intervention programme to seven communities with the installation of 500KVA transformers and other power infrastructure.
The latest phase of the Operation Light Up Ideato initiative covers Ogwume, Dikenafai and Akpulu, where transformers, electricity cables and other essential components are being installed to improve power supply.
The intervention cuts across Ideato North and Ideato South, with the latest installations building on earlier projects in Umuopia, Obodoukwu, Abukwa and Umukegwu.
The completion of the transformer installation in Akpulu, alongside ongoing work in Ogwume and Dikenafai, brings the number of communities reached by the initiative to seven.
According to the lawmaker, “the expansion underscored his “commitment to addressing critical infrastructure needs at the grassroots and ensuring that communities that have long experienced inadequate electricity infrastructure are not left behind.
“Unlike a one-off intervention, Operation Light Up Ideato is being implemented as a continuing community focused programme, with more transformers expected to be supplied and installed in additional communities identified as being in need.”
The programme is aimed at improving electricity infrastructure in communities that have faced inadequate power supply, while supporting economic and social activities at the grassroots.
Speaking on the continued expansion of the initiative, Ugochinyere, who is also Chairman, House Committee on Downstream Petroleum, reaffirmed his determination to ensure that every community in Ideato requiring electricity infrastructure is eventually covered.
He stressed that the objective was to progressively close the gap in power availability across the federal constituency.
The latest intervention adds to ongoing constituency projects by the lawmaker aimed at addressing basic infrastructure needs across Ideato North and South.
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