The Nigerian presidency says the presidential villa owes N342, 352, 217 ($215,248) to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and not N923 million ($580,320) as claimed by the company.
The statement follows a ‘10 day notice’ given on February 19 by AEDC to 86 government agencies, including the presidential villa, ministries, departments, and agencies, to pay up over N47 billion ($295,504,55) in debt due as of December 2023 or risk getting disconnected from grid power.
AEDC said it shall ‘’after Wednesday, February 28, 2024, embark on disconnection of our services to them until they discharge their obligations to us by paying their debts.”
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, President Tinubu directed ‘’immediate settlement of outstanding electricity bill... having reconciled the position to the satisfaction of both parties.’’
‘’The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has given assurance that the debt will be paid to AEDC before the end of this week,’’ the statement read.
Nigeria electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have grappled with poor revenue collections in the past.
In 2023, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s report said the total revenue collected by all DisCos in the third quarter of 2023 was N267.61 billion ($168,255,264) out of N349.55 billion ($219,773,655) billed to customers.
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