The Federal Government of Nigeria announced on Thursday plans to establish an electricity offences tribunal with an integrated appeal system to efficiently address power-related offences.
In addition, the government disclosed that it had tested and calibrated a total of 2,655,488 meters for the power sector. Most of these meters have been deployed for consumer use across the country.
On June 2, 2024, The PUNCH reported that 609,585 electricity consumers received meters in 2023, while the number of unmetered registered power users nationwide stood at 7,319,846.
Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission indicated that out of the 13,162,572 registered consumers connected to the national grid, 5,842,726 had been metered.
During a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Aliyu Tahir, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), stated that the agency had tested and calibrated over 2.6 million meters. NEMSA, established in 2015, continues to test and calibrate more meters to ensure their functionality, durability, and safety.
Tahir elaborated, “A total of 21,681 electricity installation projects have been inspected and tested, out of which 13,154 have been certified. Also, a total of 16,624 electricity networks have been monitored by NEMSA.
About 4,921 factories, hazardous installations, and public places have been inspected, tested, and certified fit, while 2,655,488 electricity meters have been tested and calibrated, with 487 incidences investigated by the agency.”
These figures were compiled by NEMSA as of the first quarter of 2024. Tahir added that the Electricity Act 2023 had strengthened the enforcement powers and responsibilities of the agency.
Regarding the proposed tribunal, Tahir explained that it would expedite the trial of electricity-related offences and vest NEMSA’s in-house counsel with the authority to prosecute such offences.
“We are working on establishing an electricity offences tribunal with an in-built appeal system for faster dispensation of electricity-related offences. It is to vest NEMSA in-house counsel with powers to prosecute electricity offences,” he stated.
Tahir highlighted that the tribunal would help address electricity theft promptly and that the National Assembly had been informed about this initiative.
“We are looking at the establishment of this electricity tribunal to be able to enforce our mandates more. When you look at the enforcement, concerning sanctioning of violators in the Act, it is a very long process. So to fast-track the prosecution of offenders, the establishment of this tribunal solely for the power sector will go a long way in ensuring that we fast-track the process, carry out enforcements and sanction violators,” he added.
He noted that the tribunal would address issues of electricity theft swiftly and ensure quick prosecution of violators. NEMSA is currently working with the National Assembly to include a provision for this tribunal in the Electricity Act.
