The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), one of Nigeria’s eleven electricity distribution companies (DisCos), came under public scrutiny during the Christmas and New Year festivities as residents assessed its performance across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and adjoining states.
AEDC emerged from the privatisation of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and is responsible for electricity distribution in the FCT, Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa States.
Background and Mandate
AEDC was incorporated on November 8, 2005, as part of Nigeria’s power sector reform programme and officially commenced operations as a privatized electricity distributor on November 1, 2013, following the unbundling of PHCN.
The company is jointly owned, with KANN Utility Limited holding a 60 per cent equity stake, while the Federal Government of Nigeria retains 40 per cent ownership.
Under its franchise agreement and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) guidelines, AEDC’s core mandates include electricity distribution and sales, network ownership and maintenance, metering and billing, customer service delivery, infrastructure investment, and compliance with technical and service quality standards.
Yuletide Performance: Mixed Reactions
Findings by Governance Today Nigeria (GTN), Nigeria’s authentic voice on good governance and leaders accountability through its city metro desk indicate a mixed but instructive public response to AEDC’s performance during the yuletide period.
Several Abuja residents interviewed commended the company for noticeable improvements in power supply in their areas during the festive season. According to them, improved electricity availability helped households engage in small-scale businesses and reduce expenditure on alternative power sources.
However, many of these residents appealed for greater consistency, noting that sustained power supply is critical for coping with Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
Others called on AEDC to accelerate meter deployment, stressing that many customers are willing and financially ready to pay for meters but remain unserved, a situation that continues to fuel disputes over estimated billing.
Customer Relations Concerns
Concerns were also raised about customer relations. Some respondents urged AEDC to retrain its marketing and field staff, alleging that a few employees display overzealous and, at times, discourteous attitudes toward customers.
Speaking to GTN on condition of anonymity, a senior AEDC sales manager acknowledged both the progress and the challenges.
“We are doing our best to ensure regular power supply to Abuja residents. There are, however, situations beyond our control within the power value chain. Nonetheless, we take responsibility because providing electricity is our mandate,” he said.
On staff conduct, the official maintained that professionalism remains central to AEDC’s culture.
“Training and retraining of staff is a core focus. While we cannot entirely rule out occasional misconduct by individuals, such behaviour does not represent the values of AEDC,” he added.
He expressed satisfaction that many customers have acknowledged what he described as “significant improvements in power supply regularity.”
Progress and Lingering Challenges
Regulatory records show that AEDC has, at various points, led other DisCos in meter deployment, achieving a metering rate of approximately 59.92 per cent of its customer base in earlier NERC assessments.
The company has also embarked on operational restructuring, customer service reforms, and infrastructure investments aimed at reducing technical and commercial losses.
Despite these efforts, challenges persist. Frequent outages, inconsistent supply, and delayed fault resolution remain recurring complaints among customers in parts of the FCT and surrounding states. In some communities, residents have publicly appealed to government authorities to intervene, citing inadequate maintenance and slow response times.
Regulatory Pressure
AEDC, like other DisCos, continues to face regulatory scrutiny from NERC over service quality and compliance, underscoring the broader structural and operational difficulties confronting Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector.
Conclusion: A Work in Progress
AEDC’s performance during the yuletide period reflects a company making measurable progress while still grappling with fundamental service delivery gaps.
While improved festive power supply earned commendation from many customers, persistent concerns over consistency, metering, and customer relations suggest that AEDC’s mandate is only partially fulfilled. Sustaining recent gains and addressing long-standing customer grievances will be critical if the company is to fully deliver on the purpose for which it was established.
