N47bn Debt: AEDC Threatens To Disconnect Aso Rock, 85 Others

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has given  86 government agencies, including the presidential villa, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) 10 days’ notice to pay up over N47 billion debt due as of December 2023 or risk having their establishments disconnected from grid power.

Among the list of debtors is the Chief of Defence Staff Barracks and Military Formations with over N12 billion debt, followed by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory with a N7.5 billion debt, Ministry of Finance with over N5.4 billion debt, and Niger State Governor-Abuja Liaison Office with N3.4 billion.

Others include: Ministry of State for Petroleum, Presidential Villa, Ministry of Education, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, and Nigeria Police Force, among others.

In an advertorial seen by LEADERSHIP, the management of the company said: “The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) is constrained to do this publication with the details of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with long outstanding unpaid bills for services rendered to them through the provision of electricity supply, in that our previous attempts to make them honour their obligations have not achieved the desired result.

“The relevant MDAs are hereby given notice that AEDC shall, after the expiration of 10 days from the date of this publication, that is, after Wednesday, 28th February 2024, embark on disconnection of our services to them until they discharge their obligations to us by paying their debts.”

This is as electricity distribution companies (DisCos) continue to grapple with poor revenue collections.

For example, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s report, the total revenue collected by all DisCos in the third quarter of 2023 was N267.61 billion out of N349.55 billion billed customers.