By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has assured industries along the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining electricity supply, warning consumers that energy theft and manipulation of metering systems will no longer be tolerated.
Tegbe issued the warning during a meeting with major industrial customers on the corridor following concerns over substantial gaps between the volume of electricity supplied and the amount of energy being accounted for within the market.
The Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor is one of Nigeria’s major industrial clusters, with several large electricity consumers operating along the route. However, monitoring of electricity flows through technology-enabled systems deployed by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has revealed significant inconsistencies in consumption and loading patterns since 2024.
By 2026, the discrepancies had escalated, with losses on the corridor reportedly reaching up to 100 megawatts and resulting in an estimated revenue loss of ₦120 billion within a year.
Addressing the stakeholders, Tegbe said the government was determined to provide industries with sufficient and dependable electricity to support production, job creation and investment.
He, however, stressed that consumers must complement government’s efforts by ensuring responsible electricity use, proper metering and payment for energy consumed.
“We must know where the power is going and what is compromising it,” the minister said, calling for a transparent and evidence-based investigation into the discrepancies.
Tegbe specifically warned against meter tampering, deliberate interference with energy measurement systems, manipulation of consumption data and other practices capable of facilitating electricity theft.
He said all consumers must be accountable for the electricity they consume and warned that the government would take appropriate action against violations capable of undermining the electricity market.
“Every consumer must be responsible for its actions and consumption,” he said.
The minister said the engagement formed part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen accountability, improve revenue collection and restore financial discipline throughout the electricity value chain.
According to him, tackling losses and ensuring accurate energy accounting are essential to building a sustainable power sector capable of supporting Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
He urged the industrial customers, distribution companies, transmission operators and other stakeholders to work together to resolve the issues identified along the corridor.
Tegbe also called for openness and cooperation during the fact-finding process, noting that the government’s objective was not only to identify the causes of the discrepancies but also to ensure that legitimate consumers receive the electricity required for their operations.
The meeting was attended by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Executive Directors of NISO, representatives of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Managing Directors of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Ikeja Electric, as well as representatives of companies operating along the corridor.
The minister’s intervention comes amid intensified government efforts to improve transparency, reduce technical and commercial losses and strengthen the financial sustainability of Nigeria’s electricity sector while guaranteeing reliable supply to productive industries.