Electricity consumers owe IBEDC over N50bn in Kwara-Official  

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin 

Electricity consumers in Kwara State are owing the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company of Nigeria (IBEDC), over N50 billion, the management has said 

The management of IBEDC had in May, alerted electricity consumers within it franchise area to expect an imminent black out from June due to backlog of unpaid bills. 

It said the distribution company, was planning to disconnect its feeders from the national grid due to poor remittances. 

Giving a breakdown of the company’s revenue loss data during a stakeholders’ engagement in Ilorin on Tuesday, the company’s Lead Media Relations Officer, Olori Busolami Tunwase, disclosed that electricity consumers in Jebba topped the chat with an outstanding of N25.8billion. 

She said consumers in Baboko followed with N18.9 billion, while those in Challenge district owed N7.4 billion.

Olori Tunwase regretted that the huge debt profile from the states is hindering the company from fulfilling its obligations to its market operators.

She advised consumers of electricity who intended to procure new pre-paid meters to shun third party so as not to be caught in the web of illicit transaction, assuring that IBEDEC will flood the market with meters.

IBEDC’S Regional Manager, Mr. Gabriel Eze, said the huge chunk of the outstanding were from government ministries, department and agencies, including the Nigeria Air force, Navy and Army.

Kwara State Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulations Commission (NERC), Ajanaku Adeleke said his commission was daily being inundated with poor attitudes of IBEDC’S staff towards electricity consumers urging the management to call their staff to order.