By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government through the minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has directed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to expedite the distribution of free prepaid meters to customers within its franchise area.
Adelabu gave the directive during a working visit to the company’s headquarters on Saturday in Ibadan, where he met with the management of IBEDC and other critical stakeholders in the power sector.
Read also:Nigeria, South Korea commission 1MW solar mini-grids to power FCT communities
He said the engagement underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining close, solution-driven relationships with operators in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry.
“Our objective is to hear directly from IBEDC, understand their operational realities, identify their pain points, and explore how government can better support their ambition as a utility responsible for powering homes, businesses, and industries,” Adelabu said.
He noted that the visit aligned with the power sector reform agenda of President Bola Tinubu, aimed at ensuring reliable electricity supply for Nigerians.
Read also: Gas shortage, damaged power infrastructure worsen electricity supply in Lagos, Oyo
The minister expressed concern over the pace of metering deployment by IBEDC, describing the progress as unsatisfactory. According to him, data from the Federal Government’s Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) Metering Initiative showed that only about 16,300 meters had been installed out of the roughly 59,000 supplied to the company.
“These meters were not procured by the Federal Government to remain idle in warehouses. They were provided to help utilities strengthen their financial viability, improve transparency in billing, and ensure that customers pay accurately for electricity consumed,” he said.
Adelabu urged IBEDC to prioritise early deployment of the available meters to boost customer confidence, reduce losses, and enhance the sustainability of the power sector.
He also encouraged the company to leverage regulatory and operational opportunities such as embedded generation. The minister highlighted the concession of the Ikere Gorge Dam to Quaint Energy as a viable pathway to integrate up to 10 megawatts of additional capacity into IBEDC’s network, thereby improving supply reliability within its coverage area.
In addition, he advised the company to explore franchising arrangements and interconnected mini-grid partnerships, assuring stakeholders of government’s commitment to creating a supportive policy and regulatory environment for viable electricity distribution businesses.
“Our collective goal is to ensure that DisCos, such as IBEDC, are not only financially sustainable, but also capable of delivering reliable, affordable, and improved electricity services to all Nigerians,” he said.
In his response, IBEDC Managing Director, Mr Francis Agoha, acknowledged the Federal Government’s support, revealing that the company had operated without a core investor for the past four years.
Agoha said IBEDC had sustained electricity supply across seven states within its franchise area largely through government backing, particularly from the Ministry of Power.
He, however, disclosed that the company had recently been acquired by new core investors committed to providing the required capital to reposition it for growth.
He added that IBEDC had been collaborating with the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Rural Electrification Agency, as well as contractors handling various government power projects within its franchise.
“I want to commit here that in the next couple of months and in the future, we’ll see all the benefits of all the partnerships that we’ve had on the ground so far,” Agoha said.
