Tegbe Assures Ikorodu–Sagamu Industries of Stable Power, Warns Against Energy Theft

 Tegbe Assures Ikorodu–Sagamu Industries of Stable Power, Warns Against Energy Theft

The Honourable Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has assured industries operating along the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor of sustained electricity supply, while warning consumers against meter tampering, energy theft and other practices capable of undermining the nation’s power sector.

Tegbe gave the assurance during a high-level engagement with industrial customers along the corridor, following concerns over significant discrepancies between electricity supplied and the energy accounted for by market participants.

The Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor has emerged as a major industrial cluster, hosting some of the country’s largest electricity consumers. However, increased visibility of power flows through the Nigerian Independent System Operator’s (NISO) technology-driven monitoring systems since 2024 has revealed anomalies in energy consumption and loading patterns.

By 2026, the discrepancies had become increasingly difficult to reconcile, with losses along the corridor reportedly reaching as high as 100 megawatts and translating into an estimated N120 billion loss within one year.

Speaking at the engagement, the minister said the Federal Government’s priority was to provide industries with the electricity required to sustain production, investment and economic growth.

He, however, stressed that reliable power supply must be matched by responsible consumption, accurate metering and payment.

“We must know where the power is going and what is compromising it,” Tegbe said, directing stakeholders to establish the facts through a transparent, scientific and fair investigation.

The minister warned that the government would take firm action against meter tampering, deliberate interference with energy measurement, manipulation of consumption data and other forms of energy theft.

“Every consumer must be responsible for its actions and consumption,” he said.

Tegbe’s intervention comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen accountability and financial discipline across the electricity value chain while creating a stable operating environment for productive industries.

He urged all stakeholders to approach the ongoing process with openness and a commitment to resolving outstanding issues, noting that the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s power sector requires accountability from every participant.

The meeting was attended by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Executive Directors of NISO, representatives of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Managing Directors of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Ikeja Electric, as well as representatives of companies operating along the Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor.