The federal government has launched an investigation into energy theft along the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu industrial corridor, where unaccounted power losses are estimated at N120 billion annually.
According to Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, roughly 100 megawatts of energy are lost along the route.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholder meeting in Lagos with important market players, industrial operators, and energy regulators, Tegbe issued a strict order for an open, scientific investigation into the significant differences between the amount of electricity transmitted along the corridor and the energy that distribution companies formally bill and account for.
Serving significant heavy customers, the Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor has quickly grown into one of Nigeria’s main industrial manufacturing centres.
However, concerning loading abnormalities and significant commercial losses throughout the network were revealed by improved visibility via technological monitoring tools implemented by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).
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Tegbe reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to industrial growth under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, assuring manufacturers of a steady supply of electricity while insisting that continuous energy must be provided with correct billing and strict accountability.
He declared that intentional data manipulation, infrastructure interference, and meter tampering would no longer be accepted by the government.
He underlined that each consumer is still responsible for the real amount of power they use.
Senior executives from the energy value chain, including the Managing Director and Executive Directors of NISO, representatives from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), chief executives of Ikeja Electric and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, as well as corridor industrial representatives, attended the crucial stakeholder engagement.
In order to prevent income leaks and protect the national grid’s financial stability, stakeholders have been tasked with working closely with technical investigators.
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