Sunday Oduntan, the Executive Director of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, has disclosed that the Nigerian government is indebted to the tune of approximately N100 billion in outstanding electricity bills.
In an interview with Arise TV on Sunday, Oduntan emphasized the importance of the government fulfilling its obligations to create a conducive environment for energy distributors in the country.
Highlighting the magnitude of the debt owed by various Ministries, Agencies, and Departments (MDAs), Oduntan expressed concern over the recent delay in settling bills by the presidential villa, which prompted the Abuja electricity distribution company to issue a public notice.
“It’s only two or three weeks ago that there was news that the Nigeria presidential villa was owing electricity bills. This bill was not paid until Abuja DisCo put up an advert which called the attention of the president. You will be surprised to find some ministries that are owing Abuja Disco. The ministries, departments, and agencies are owing, in essence, N100 billion,” Oduntan revealed.
He reiterated that the issue of outstanding debts is a longstanding problem, stressing the need for prompt payment to ensure the smooth operation of electricity distribution companies.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu directed the clearance of the N342.3 million outstanding electricity bill owed to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company after a reconciliation process between the State House Management and AEDC. The Discos listed various government entities, including the Presidential Villa, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, among others, as debtors.
In a statement, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) expressed frustration over the failure of these government agencies to settle their bills, necessitating the public disclosure of outstanding debts.
