The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has apologised to Nigerians over the prolonged power outages across the country, admitting that households and businesses have suffered in recent weeks.
The association also called on the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, to bring electricity sector operators together and find a lasting solution to the crisis.
ANED Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sunday Oduntan, made the appeal on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Naija News reports.
Oduntan began by apologising to Nigerians, acknowledging the hardship caused by the poor electricity supply.
He said, “I’d like to first of all start by apologising to Nigerians. Apology is needed; it is essential because Nigerians have been taken through this problem over the past few weeks.”
The ANED chief also expressed concern over what he described as a return to the blame game among operators in the electricity sector.
He recalled that between 2016 and 2019, distribution companies, transmission operators, electricity generation companies and gas suppliers regularly blamed one another for poor power supply instead of working together to address the problem.
According to him, the same situation is beginning to play out again.
“Our major problem is that we have started that very wrong route that we went through between 2016 and 2019. What is that? Blame game.
“Part of what happened at that time is that people will blame the DisCos, DisCos will blame TCN, TCN will blame GenCos, GenCos will blame the gas suppliers, and gas suppliers will blame payment issues. We have returned to that, and I think there is a need to arrest that,” he said.
Oduntan also questioned recent statements from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over the reasons for the electricity shortages.
He explained that NISO had linked the poor supply partly to low water levels and inadequate gas supply to power plants.
However, the NNPC later released a statement indicating that gas was available.
Reacting to the development, Oduntan questioned the explanation provided by the national oil company, insisting that Nigerians deserved to know whether outstanding payments were affecting gas supply to electricity generation companies.
He said the NNPC should provide details of gas deliveries, payments and companies that had fulfilled their obligations.
Oduntan stated, “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.”
He urged the Minister of Power to take charge of the situation by calling all relevant stakeholders to a meeting and establishing the actual reasons behind the poor electricity supply.
The ANED boss said continued disagreements among gas suppliers, the NNPC, transmission operators and NISO would not solve the problem.
The apology comes amid growing complaints from Nigerians over weeks of inadequate electricity supply.
Households and businesses have continued to struggle with prolonged blackouts, raising fresh questions about the electricity tariff system and the service customers receive for the money they pay.
Customers on Bands A, B and C have all expressed concerns about poor supply, despite the different service levels attached to the tariff categories.
Under the arrangement, Band A customers are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily.
However, some customers on the category have also complained about failing to get the promised supply.
The situation has become more difficult amid intense dry-season heat and El Niño conditions, leaving many Nigerians struggling without electricity to power fans and air conditioners.
The crisis has also attracted reactions from public figures.
Naija News recalls that veteran actress Kate Henshaw recently questioned why Nigerians continued to struggle with reliable electricity, saying households had effectively become mini-factories because they had to generate their own power.
Content creator Cute Abiola also appealed to President Bola Tinubu in a video, expressing frustration over the unbearable heat and the difficulties Nigerians face in getting alternative electricity.
The rising cost of petrol and diesel has further increased the burden on households and businesses that depend on generators.
Meanwhile, the cost of installing solar panels, batteries and inverters remains beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
The worsening power situation has also brought renewed attention to President Tinubu’s campaign promises ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
During his campaign, Tinubu promised to improve electricity supply and end estimated billing.
Speaking to members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos, he challenged Nigerians to hold him accountable if he failed to deliver on his promises.
He had said, “Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept.
“If I don’t keep the promise and I come for a second term, don’t vote for me, unless I give you adequate reasons why I couldn’t deliver.”
Meanwhile, some Nigerians and civil society organisations have called for the resignation of the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, over the persistent blackouts.
They accused him of failing to address the worsening electricity situation.
Their demands followed the minister’s appeal for patience on Saturday, when he promised that power supply would improve within 72 hours.
Naija News reports that amid the criticism, Tegbe announced on Monday that electricity supply had been restored to several areas in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Kwara states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
He attributed part of the disruption to the vandalism of a major 330-kilovolt transmission line.
According to the minister, the affected Benin-Egbin transmission line had been repaired and returned to service.
He said the repair had increased electricity supply to the Lagos Complex to more than 1,000 megawatts, restoring it to the level recorded before the disruption.
