Licence Threat: NERC Keeps Mum As Discos’ Deadline Expires

The deadline issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission mandating the electricity distributors to comply with some industry requirements or have their licences cancelled has expired.

However, the power sector regulator has remained mute since the expiration of the deadline it issued the firms.

In November, Economic Confidential reported that power distribution companies had up until December 7, 2019 to submit their written responses to the NERC providing reasons why their licences should not be cancelled.

Efforts to get updates from the commission since Saturday when the deadline expired as regards which of the Discos complied with the regulator’s demands were not successful.

When asked for updates on the matter, the commission’s spokesperson, Usman Arabi, told our correspondent that he was in Calabar for a programme and promised to get back.

The commission issued the cancellation notice to eight power distribution companies in October this year and mandated them to respond within 60 days, otherwise their licences would be cancelled.

It named the eight power firms as Abuja, Benin, Enugu, Ikeja, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola Discos.

The NERC had stated that the Discos breached the terms and conditions of their respective distribution licences.

It stated that this was based on the provisions of Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the 2016 – 2018 Minor Review of Multi Year Tariff Order and Minimum Remittance Order for the Year.