The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has accused the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of deliberately refusing to settle its outstanding electricity debt amounting to N4,340,566,000 despite having the financial capacity to do so.
Speaking on Arise TV’s NewsDay on Friday, Sunday Oduntan, the CEO of ANED, provided a breakdown of the debt accumulated by the Ikeja Air Force Base and lamented the challenges faced by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in recovering payments from military establishments.
According to Oduntan, the total electricity bill of Ikeja Air Force Base from November 1, 2013, to December 31, 2022, stood at N7.5 billion.
However, thanks to the intervention of former Minister of Power Babatunde Fashola, under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, N4.3 billion was paid, leaving a balance of N3.2 billion before 2023.
In 2023, the Air Force accumulated a fresh bill of N1.4 billion, out of which N1.2 billion was paid. However, they refused to pay their outstanding arrears, despite there being no contention over the bill’s legitimacy.
“For 2024, their bill slightly increased to N1.5 billion, but they only managed to pay N623 million, leaving an outstanding balance of N893 million,” Oduntan explained.
As of today, the total outstanding debt owed by the Ikeja Air Force Base stands at N4.34 billion.
DisCos Accuse NAF of Intimidation and Assault
Oduntan criticized the attitude of the military towards electricity payment, accusing them of using their position as a defense institution to avoid settling their bills.
“They are always doing this ‘gra gra’ thing, reminding us all the time that they are the ones protecting Nigeria, as if there is no military in the US or Europe, and as if they are not even paid for what they do,” he said.
He further alleged that DisCo representatives sent to Ikeja Air Force Base to request payment in 2024 were assaulted.
“In 2024, the people that we sent there to go and ask for payment were beaten up at Ikeja Air Force Base. That was the first problem we had with them,” he stated.
Installation of Auto Recloser to Regulate Power Supply
In response to the non-payment, the Managing Director/CEO of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) issued a formal letter to the Air Force on July 29, 2024, notifying them of plans to install an auto recloser device at the base.
This device would allow DisCos to regulate and manage electricity supply based on payment patterns and commitments.
“The job of that device is to enable us, as a service provider, to manage the supply of energy into any particular place. We can determine through that machine how many hours we can give to that community or place, depending on their pattern of payment, their ability to pay, or their willingness to pay.
“In the case of Nigerian Air Force, they are able to pay, but they just don’t want to pay,” he noted.
Government’s Commitment to Clearing MDA Debts
Oduntan acknowledged that the Bola Tinubu-led administration had reassured DisCos that government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the military, would pay their electricity debts.
“In 2023, when this current president came on board, he made it very clear to us and our investors that the government would settle MDA debts, including the military. That was why they were able to pay N1.2 billion out of N1.4 billion in 2023. But in 2024, the situation changed,” he noted.
The DisCos are now questioning why the Nigerian Air Force, despite assurances and budgetary allocations, has refused to clear its outstanding N4.34 billion debt.
Earlier, Nairametrics reported that the Ikeja Electric (IE) headquarters and its business unit in Lagos were attacked and vandalized by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) following the disconnection of power to a NAF facility due to unpaid electricity bills.
