The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) has accused the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of refusing to settle an outstanding electricity debt totaling ₦4.34 billion, despite having the financial capacity to do so. This ongoing dispute has escalated tensions between the two entities, with IKEDC taking measures to regulate power supply to the Ikeja Air Force Base.
According to Sunday Oduntan, CEO of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), the debt accumulated over several years. Between 2013 and 2022, the NAF owed ₦7.5 billion but paid ₦4.3 billion after interventions by former Minister of Power Babatunde Fashola. However, fresh bills of ₦1.4 billion in 2023 and ₦1.5 billion in 2024 added to the arrears, leaving a total unpaid balance of ₦4.34 billion.
Oduntan noted that while the NAF paid part of its recent bills, it has consistently refused to clear older debts. “They are able to pay but choose not to,” he stated during an interview on Arise TV.
The situation took a violent turn in 2024 when IKEDC representatives sent to request payment were reportedly assaulted at the Ikeja Air Force Base. More recently, over 100 NAF personnel allegedly attacked IKEDC’s Lagos headquarters following a power disconnection at their facility due to unpaid bills. The attack resulted in injuries and vandalism, with reports indicating that even pregnant staff members were assaulted.
In response to non-payment, IKEDC installed an auto recloser device at the base in July 2024 to regulate electricity supply based on payment patterns. The device allows DisCos to manage energy distribution depending on a customer’s willingness or ability to pay.
Oduntan acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had assured electricity providers that government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including military institutions, would settle their debts. While some payments were made in 2023 under this commitment, the situation deteriorated in 2024.
The standoff raises broader concerns about accountability and financial discipline within government agencies. As IKEDC continues its efforts to recover debts, questions remain about how such disputes impact Nigeria’s already strained power sector and public services reliant on uninterrupted electricity supply.
