A recent disclosure by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) revealed that President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential villa and 85 other federal and state ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) collectively owe a staggering N47,195 billion in outstanding debts as of December 2023.
The AEDC issued a disconnection notice published in a national daily, citing the Chief of Defence Staff, Barracks and Military formations, the Federal Capital Territory Authority, and the Ministry of Finance as its top debtors during the period under review. Additional debtors include the Ministry of Power, Ministry of State Petroleum, Central Bank Governor, the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Nigeria Police Force, among others.
The AEDC has given the indebted MDAs a 10-day notice, expiring on February 28, to settle their bills or face disconnection. Failure to comply will result in service disconnection until the debts are paid in full, as stated by the company.
In a related development, the Minister of Power recently declared that the government inherited a substantial N3 trillion in electricity subsidy debts, necessitating a discontinuation of electricity subsidies. This announcement comes amidst a nationwide drop in Nigeria’s electricity supply for several weeks, attributed to gas constraints, according to Adelabu.
The revelation of such substantial debts owed by influential government entities raises concerns about the financial management of public institutions and its impact on essential services like electricity supply. As the deadline approaches, the nation awaits to see if the indebted MDAs will fulfill their financial obligations to the AEDC, ensuring vital public services remain uninterrupted.
