The Federal Government has begun an investigation and enforcement drive into large-scale electricity theft on the 132-kilovolt Ikorodu–Sagamu industrial corridor, where unrecorded losses have reached 100 megawatts and are estimated to cost Nigeria’s power market N120 billion in revenue each year. Power Minister Joseph Tegbe announced the move on Friday at a senior stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos attended by industrial companies, major electricity-market participants and regulators.
Tegbe ordered an open, evidence-led inquiry into the wide gap between the electricity delivered along the corridor and the power volumes billed and recorded by distribution companies. The Ikorodu–Sagamu route has developed rapidly into one of Nigeria’s leading manufacturing centres, with large industrial users accounting for significant demand.
Technology-based monitoring introduced by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has nevertheless identified unusual network-loading patterns and substantial commercial losses in the area. Reiterating President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s support for industrial expansion, Tegbe pledged that manufacturers would continue to receive reliable electricity, while stressing that dependable supply must be accompanied by precise metering, proper billing and firm accountability.
The minister said the government would not accept meter tampering, intentional alteration of consumption data or interference with power infrastructure. He added that every customer must be responsible for the amount of electricity actually used.
