FG Targets Companies Stealing 150MW of Electricity Daily

The Federal Government has raised concerns that certain companies in Lagos State are illegally stealing up to 150 megawatts of electricity daily by connecting their factories directly to the national grid without the consent of local distribution companies. Joseph Tegbe, the Minister of Power, stated that the government is targeting these unnamed companies to recover charges and reduce technical losses in the grid.

This revelation was made during an energy forum in Lagos, where Tegbe emphasized the need to address energy theft, particularly from companies rather than individual households. He also mentioned that development finance institutions have committed approximately $18 billion to Nigeria's power sector, but criticized the prioritization of investments, which he claims have been influenced by political patronage.

Additionally, he announced a nationwide technical audit to identify faults in the electricity infrastructure and highlighted the government's efforts to build a new National Control Centre to replace the outdated facility in Osogbo.