The House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation has restated its determination to reinforce legislative measures aimed at tackling the growing problem of energy theft within Nigeria’s power sector.
According to the Committee, the National Assembly is advancing work on a bill designed to curb energy theft through stricter sanctions, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and better protection of power infrastructure nationwide.
During an oversight visit to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), the Committee Chairman, Hon. Hamisu Ibrahim, expressed concern that energy theft has become one of the biggest barriers to effective electricity distribution in the country. He noted that the upcoming legal framework will provide a decisive response to the issue while safeguarding the massive investments made in the sector.
Ibrahim also assured electricity distribution companies of the Committee’s readiness to assist in the recovery of large outstanding debts owed by federal and state ministries, departments and agencies, as well as local governments. He emphasised that settling these debts is crucial to improving liquidity across the power value chain. “We will stand with the DisCos and ensure these obligations are recovered,” he pledged.
In his remarks, IBEDC’s Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Francis Agoha, appealed to the National Assembly to intervene in the twin challenges of energy theft and unpaid government debts, noting that both issues have placed enormous pressure on the company’s finances and slowed down infrastructure development.
Agoha highlighted the company’s achievements since the 2013 privatisation, detailing improvements in network expansion, metering, safety measures, and customer service. Despite these gains, he noted that vandalism, energy theft, and outstanding government liabilities continue to hamper IBEDC’s operations.
The Committee later inspected key IBEDC installations as part of its mandate to review sector performance, identify challenges, and assess compliance with regulatory requirements since privatisation.
