The Nigerian government is estimated to owe over N100 billion in unpaid debt related to energy, according to Sunday Oduntan, Executive Director of the Association of Nigerian Energy Distributors.
In an interview with Arise TV on Sunday, Oduntan disclosed this information and said that the government must do its share to create a favorable climate for the nation’s energy distributors.
The executive director claims that the Ministry, Agency, and Departments (MDAs) owe N100 billion in total debt.
Oduntan emphasized that if the government had paid its electricity bills on time, the latest debt payment by the presidential villa to the Abuja electrical distribution firm could have been averted.
“I remarked that we all had a share to pay. The government should constantly work to foster an atmosphere that encourages businesses to succeed. Always contribute by making your bill payments.”
“The story that went viral about the Nigerian presidential villa’s unpaid electricity bill actually surfaced two or three weeks ago. This bill was not paid until Abuja DisCo ran an advertisement that caught the president’s attention.”
“It may surprise you to learn that certain ministries owe Abuja Disco money. In essence, the ministries, departments, and agencies owe N100 billion.”
“This is something we’ve been saying for a while. They didn’t begin to owe money in May 2023. Thus, politics or mischief are not present here. We are discussing the facts and problem-solving techniques,” he remarked.
As previously reported by the News Chronicles, President Bola Tinubu issued an instruction to clear the N342.3 million unpaid electricity bill with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
Following the completion of their account reconciliation, State House Management and AEDC issued the directive.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the CBN governor, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Presidential Villa were among the organizations mentioned by the Discos.
“Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) is constrained to do this publication of the details of government ministries, departments, and agencies with outstanding unpaid bills for services offered to them through the provision of electricity supply in that our previous attempt to make them honor their obligations have not achieved the desired results,” according to the statement.
