The Federal Government has ordered a probe into an electricity discrepancy of up to 100 megawatts (MW) on the 132kV Ikorodu-Sagamu corridor, with the unaccounted energy estimated at N120 billion over one year.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the directive during a meeting with industrial consumers and key electricity market operators.
The investigation followed monitoring by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), whose technology-based systems, strengthened since 2024, track electricity flows and consumption across the national grid.
NISO said the monitoring revealed unusual loading and consumption patterns along the corridor, creating a gap of up to 100MW between energy supplied and accounted for.
Tegbe directed stakeholders to determine the cause through a transparent, evidence-based investigation. The probe will examine metering systems, energy records, industrial substations and related infrastructure, including possible meter tampering, data manipulation, illegal connections and other forms of energy theft.
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The minister warned that the government would act against anyone found to have undermined the electricity market or caused financial losses.
NISO Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bello Mohammed, said the exercise would not presume the culpability of any participant. He said investigators would validate reference meters, inspect industrial installations and assess measurement systems.
Some facilities have already received notices based on preliminary findings and may be required to explain discrepancies or undertake corrective measures.
The probe comes amid persistent commercial losses and electricity theft in the sector. In November 2024, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company reported more than 8,000 energy-theft cases between January and October, including meter bypass and illegal tampering.
The Ikorodu-Sagamu corridor is a major industrial electricity hub serving consumers across parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
The latest investigation is expected to establish the source of the reported 100MW gap and determine responsibility where wrongdoing is proven.