Tegbe pledges steady power to industries as 100MW supply gap

The Federal Government has pledged to sustain electricity supply to major industrial users along the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor, even as discrepancies of up to 100MW in recorded power flows raise concerns over possible energy theft and an estimated N120 billion annual revenue loss.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance during a high-level engagement with industrial customers operating along the corridor, one of Nigeria’s major industrial clusters and a critical power route serving some of the country’s largest electricity consumers.

The meeting followed growing concerns over the gap between electricity supplied to the corridor and the volume ultimately accounted for by market participants.

According to the Minister, technology-based monitoring systems operated by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) since 2024 have provided greater visibility into electricity flows and revealed anomalies in energy consumption and loading patterns.

By 2026, the discrepancies had become increasingly difficult to reconcile, with the unaccounted power reportedly reaching 100MW and the associated financial impact estimated at N120 billion within one year.

Tegbe said the Federal Government’s priority was to ensure that industries received sufficient and reliable electricity to sustain production, investment and economic activity.

He, however, said reliable supply must be accompanied by accurate metering, responsible consumption and payment for electricity actually consumed.

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

He warned that the government would take firm action against meter tampering, deliberate interference with energy measurement, manipulation of electricity data and other forms of energy theft capable of depriving the electricity market of legitimate revenue.

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

The Minister said the intervention was part of wider efforts to strengthen accountability and financial discipline across Nigeria’s electricity value chain while providing industries with a stable operating environment.

He urged all stakeholders to approach the investigation openly and work towards resolving the outstanding discrepancies, stressing that the sustainability of the power sector depends on accountability across the entire value chain.

The engagement brought together the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Directors of NISO, representatives of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Managing Directors of Ikeja Electric and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, and representatives of companies operating along the corridor.

The participants are expected to cooperate with the technical investigation to determine the source of the reported energy losses and establish the extent of any commercial or technical leakages.

The financial implications are significant for the power market. Recovering electricity currently lost or unaccounted for could improve cash flows for market participants and create additional resources for investment in the infrastructure required to support industrial growth.

For manufacturers along the corridor, the outcome is equally important. A combination of stable electricity, accurate metering and predictable billing could improve cost visibility and reduce some of the uncertainty associated with industrial power supply.

The government’s challenge is therefore twofold: sustain reliable electricity to support Nigeria’s productive sector while ensuring that every megawatt supplied is properly measured, accounted for and paid for.

The reported 100MW gap and N120 billion annual leakage have now put the Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor at the centre of that effort.