ANED apologises to Nigerians over persistent blackouts, urges end to sector blame game

The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has issued a formal apology to Nigerians regarding the persistent power shortages and prolonged blackouts affecting the country. ANED’s top executive, Sunday Oduntan, offered an apology on Monday, 9 November, while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily show. He admitted that the power industry had inflicted considerable suffering on homes and firms in recent weeks, arguing that recognizing this shortcoming was necessary.

Background

The apology comes amid a worsening electricity supply crisis that has drawn sharp criticism from the public. Oduntan highlighted that the sector has reverted to a damaging pattern of conflict previously observed between 2016 and 2019. Throughout that time, distribution firms, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), power producers, and gas providers consistently shifted the blame for inadequate service onto each other. Specifically, gas suppliers often cited payment issues, while other operators shifted responsibility up or down the supply chain. Oduntan described this cycle as a "blame game" that must be arrested to address the underlying problems.

Conflicting explanations from key industry stakeholders have further complicated the situation. The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) cited low water reserves and insufficient gas deliveries as partial causes of the supply difficulties. In contrast, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) later released a declaration asserting that gas resources were accessible. Oduntan criticised the NNPC’s response, arguing that it provided incomplete information. He insisted that the national oil company needed to clarify whether outstanding payments were affecting gas deliveries to power generation companies and who was responsible for specific failures in the chain.

Why it matters

The persistent power cuts have drastically affected routine activities, exacerbated by the severe dry-season temperatures and El Niño weather patterns. Subscribers on Band A, who are guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours of electricity per day, claim they have not met this threshold, prompting doubts about the efficacy of the Band A, B, and C pricing model. The crisis has also increased the cost of alternative power sources; higher petrol and diesel prices have made generators more expensive to operate, while solar panels, batteries, and inverters remain unaffordable for many families and small businesses.

Public figures have voiced their frustration with the situation. Actress Kate Henshaw noted that homes have effectively turned into small-scale power plants because residents must produce their own electricity. In a video message, content creator Cute Abiola addressed President Bola Tinubu directly, pointing out the extreme heat and the absence of cheap power options. The current emergency has renewed examination of President Tinubu’s 2023 electoral promise to resolve power supply issues and eliminate estimated billing.

What happens next

Oduntan has called on Power Minister Joseph Tegbe to take charge of the situation. He urged the Minister to convene a meeting involving all relevant parties, including gas suppliers, NNPC, TCN, and NISO, to establish the true causes of the shortages and find sustainable solutions. The ANED chief emphasised the need for transparency and cooperation among operators to prevent a return to the unproductive blame-shifting that characterised the industry in previous years.