The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has increased the volume of electricity it receives and distributes by 15 per cent over the past year, while reducing its Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses from about 42 per cent to 32 per cent.
Managing Director of AEDC, Chijioke Okwuokenye, disclosed this in Abuja during a media briefing where he outlined the company’s operational gains and forward strategy to stabilise supply across its franchise area, which covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Niger and Nasarawa states.
According to him, the growth in energy intake reflects tangible improvement in supply to customers.
“We have increased power supply by 15 per cent vis-a-vis what was supplied the previous year, and that for us is a measure of progress. Yes, the power hasn’t been able to get everywhere for a number of reasons, which we will speak to later in this engagement, but progress is being made. And the future looks very, very bright,” he stated.
He noted that although outages persist in some communities, investments in network reinforcement, new feeders and injection substations are gradually improving reliability and power quality in critical locations. Customers in selected areas are expected to begin experiencing between 18 and 20 hours of electricity daily as additional infrastructure is completed.
Okwuokenye said AEDC plans to enter a bilateral power supply arrangement with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to source electricity from its 350-megawatt plant under construction in Gwagwalada. The plant is expected to come on stream before the end of the first quarter of 2027 and is projected to significantly improve supply in Abuja and surrounding areas.
He also linked future stability in supply to the completion of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline, which is designed to boost gas availability to power plants in the northern corridor and reduce reliance on distant generation sources.
As part of efforts to curb losses and strengthen revenue collection, he said the company has intensified its metering drive under various initiatives, including the Meter Asset Fund (MAF) and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP). About 70,000 meters, he stressed, have been deployed in the last 14 months, transitioning customers from estimated to actual billing.
The AEDC boss said improved collections have enabled the company to meet 100 per cent of its market payment obligations and begin settling legacy debts, a shift from its previous record of debt accumulation.
“Using that scheme and factoring in DISREP, we can proudly say that between last year and the last two months, the first two months of this year, January and now, we’ve been able to deploy about 70,000 litters under the MAF scheme and disrep scheme.
“These are real customers that have been moved from estimated billing to credible billing, thereby improving customer satisfaction, improving customer confidence, and also improving the liquidity in the market. This is a very, very big growth, because for us as a Disco, the aim is to ensure that we achieve 100 per cent metering of all our customers,” he stated.
Beyond grid supply, AEDC stated that it is developing embedded generation projects to diversify its energy sources. The company plans to build three 10-megawatt solar plants around Lokoja, with room for expansion as demand increases. The initiative is aimed at cushioning the impact of grid shortfalls in underserved areas.
The utility noted that it is also adopting a franchise model that allows private investors to upgrade infrastructure and manage specific clusters in exchange for a share of revenue, particularly in difficult-to-serve parts of Kogi, Niger and Nasarawa states.
On tariffs, Okwuokenye said the company is focused on improving value rather than increasing prices, arguing that electricity, as a volume-driven business, would naturally see lower tariffs if supply grows and losses decline. He added that discussions are ongoing with the federal government on targeted subsidies to protect vulnerable consumers.
He, however, identified power theft and vandalism as persistent challenges undermining sector performance, citing recent cases of illegal connections and meter bypass.
“We are working closely with NNPC to ensure we take up that power and improve service delivery. By this time next year, the current pressure on energy supply, especially during the dry season, will reduce significantly,” he added.
According to him, improved revenue collection had enabled AEDC to meet its market payment obligations and begin settling legacy debts.
Emmanuel Addeh
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