By Mary Izuaka

 

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has vowed that the federal government will take firm action against meter tampering, data manipulation and other forms of energy theft undermining Nigeria’s electricity sector.

Mr Tegbe gave the warning on Friday during a high-level engagement with industrial customers along the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor, following concerns over significant discrepancies between electricity supplied and energy accounted for by market participants.

He, however, assured the industries operating on the corridor of sustained electricity supply to support production and investment.

NISO data exposes N120 billion losses

The Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor has evolved into one of Nigeria’s major industrial clusters, serving some of the country’s largest electricity consumers.

According to the minister, increased visibility of power flows through the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) technology-based monitoring systems since 2024 has exposed “increasingly troubling anomalies in energy consumption and loading patterns.”

He said by 2026, the discrepancies had become increasingly difficult to reconcile, with losses on the corridor reaching as high as 100MW, resulting in a loss of 120 billion in one year.

“We must know where the power is going and what is compromising it,” Mr Tegbe said, directing stakeholders to establish the facts through transparent, scientific and fair investigation.

FG to sanction offenders

The minister warned that the government would not tolerate meter tampering, deliberate interference with energy measurement, manipulation of data or any other form of energy theft that deprives the electricity market of legitimate revenue.

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“Every consumer must be responsible for their actions and consumption,” he said.

Mr Tegbe said while the government’s priority is to ensure industries have adequate electricity, reliable supply must be matched by responsible consumption and accurate payment.

His intervention comes as the federal government intensifies efforts to improve accountability and financial discipline across the electricity value chain while maintaining a stable operating environment for productive industries.

He urged all parties to approach the process with openness and a commitment to resolving outstanding issues, stressing that the sustainability of Nigeria’s power sector depends on accountability.