Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has openly confronted the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over its alarming failure to deploy government-supplied meters, warning that the situation is threatening consumer trust and the financial health of the nation’s power sector.
During a working visit to IBEDC’s corporate headquarters in Ibadan over the weekend, Adelabu revealed that the distribution company had installed only 16,300 of the 59,000 free prepaid meters provided by the Federal Government — leaving more than 42,000 units sitting idle in warehouses.
The minister was blunt in his assessment: “These meters were not procured by the Federal Government to remain idle in warehouses. They were designed to help utilities enhance their financial viability, improve transparency in billing, and ensure that customers pay accurately for the electricity they consume.”
Adelabu stressed that the slow rollout was not merely an operational shortcoming — it was actively enabling billing irregularities and sharp practices across IBEDC’s franchise area, while simultaneously undermining the company’s own revenue targets.
He ordered that deployment of the backlogged meters be treated as an urgent priority, linking swift action to rebuilding consumer confidence, cutting technical and commercial losses, and securing the long-term sustainability of the sector.
The minister disclosed that a flood of complaints from electricity consumers in IBEDC’s coverage area had forced his hand. “In 2025, I commended the Managing Director for improvements in electricity distribution. But in 2026, the performance indices tell a very different story,” he said, noting that the visit reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to hands-on, solution-driven engagement with power sector operators.
Adelabu also urged IBEDC to explore embedded generation as one of several regulatory and operational tools available to strengthen its performance.
In response, IBEDC Managing Director Mr. Francis Agoha acknowledged the Federal Government’s support while pointing to operational constraints facing the company. He noted ongoing collaboration with key stakeholders including the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Rural Electrification Agency, as well as contractors managing various government power projects within the franchise area.
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