FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (FPEDL) has attributed recent poor power supply in Anambra State to a significant drop in national electricity generation, describing the issue as a nationwide challenge rather than a local failure. The distribution company, which serves parts of southeastern Nigeria, confirmed it is implementing load management to distribute the reduced power allocation fairly across its network.
In a statement, FPEDL’s Head of Communications, Izunna Okafor, acknowledged customer frustrations over irregular supply, which impacts households, businesses, and industries. He stated that the company operates solely in the distribution segment of Nigeria’s power value chain and does not generate or control the volume of electricity transmitted to the state. According to FPEDL, national power generation recently declined substantially, leading to a more than 50% reduction in Anambra’s power allocation. This necessitates scheduled load shedding to ensure all customers receive some supply.
The statement also addressed the persistent issue of estimated billing due to low meter penetration. FPEDL reported that only about 40–45% of its customers in Anambra have functional meters, leaving a majority on estimated billing. To bridge this gap, the company referenced the federal government’s National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Under this initiative, FPEDL received 5,960 prepaid meters from a regional allocation of 13,000 to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). These meters have been distributed to customers in the Awka, Obosi, and Onitsha feeder areas.
FPEDL emphasized that the current supply constraints stem from systemic, national-level deficits in generation and transmission infrastructure, a recurring challenge across Nigeria’s partially privatized power sector. The company urged patience as it works within the reduced allocation and continues meteringroll-out efforts. The situation underscores the ongoing gap between electricity demand and available supply in the country, with distribution companies like FPEDL managing scarce resources amid infrastructure limitations.
