The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has apologised to Nigerians over persistent power outages, as prolonged electricity shortages continue to affect households and businesses across the country.
ANED Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sunday Oduntan, offered the apology on Monday, November 9, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, acknowledging the difficulties consumers have faced in recent weeks.
“I’d like to first of all start by apologising to Nigerians. Apology is needed; it is essential because Nigerians have been taken through this problem over the past few weeks,” he said.
Oduntan also warned that renewed disagreements among operators in the electricity industry could further complicate efforts to resolve the crisis.
He recalled that between 2016 and 2019, distribution companies, generation firms, transmission operators and gas suppliers frequently blamed one another for inadequate electricity supply, rather than addressing the industry’s structural problems.
He described the return of such disagreements as a worrying development and called for urgent intervention.
The ANED chief also questioned conflicting explanations from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) regarding the causes of the current shortages.
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While NISO identified inadequate gas supply and low water levels as contributing factors, the NNPC subsequently indicated that gas was available.
Oduntan argued that the national oil company needed to provide further clarification, particularly on whether unpaid bills were affecting gas supplies to power generation companies.
He urged the Minister of Power to bring the relevant stakeholders together to establish the facts and coordinate a response to the crisis.
The persistent outages have intensified complaints from electricity consumers, including those on Band A, who are expected to receive at least 20 hours of electricity daily despite paying higher tariffs.
The situation has also exposed the difficulties of relying on alternative power sources, as rising petrol and diesel prices have increased generator costs.
Meanwhile, solar installations and backup batteries remain too expensive for many households and small businesses.
The crisis has renewed scrutiny of President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 campaign pledge to improve electricity supply and end estimated billing.
Tinubu had promised Nigerians reliable electricity, warning that voters should reject his re-election bid if he failed to deliver on the commitment without adequate justification.