Coronavirus: Power distribution companies in Nigeria affirms two months free electricity supply to Nigerians

The Power Distribution Companies in Nigeria have thrown their weight behind the bill being proposed by the National Assembly for Nigerians to enjoy two months of free electricity to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Recall that last week, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced that a stimulus bill will be passed by the house once they reconvene that would mandate the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to give Nigerians two months of free electricity.

In a statement released on Wednesday April 8, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors ANED said the modalities for the free power would be worked on as soon as possible and they would notify Nigerians. The statement which was signed by the Associations Executive Director, Sunday Oduntan, reads in part

“The electricity distribution companies recognise the challenging effects of the coronavirus on the economic and daily lives of our customers. In fulfillment of our commitments to the nation, we hereby align ourselves with the efforts of the National Assembly and the Federal Executive to mitigate the hardship that is currently being borne by our customers and other citizens all over the country.

We are committed to working with them to ensure more efficient power supply within this difficult period, as the nation battles with the ravages of COVID-19. We are also completely aligned with the plans to ensure palliative measures, including free electricity supply to all Nigerians for two months, to make life easier, during the lockdown period. Details of implementation to come soon.”

In a related development, the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC says it would be donating N100m towards the fight against COVID-19 pandemic within its operational area.

The Chief Operating Officer, IBEDC, John Ayodele, disclosed this on Wednesday while donating food items worth N10m to the Oyo State Government as part of measures to combat COVID-19 in the state. While presenting the items, the IBEDC boss also announced that the company has also donated N5m to the University College Hospital Ibadan in support of the institution’s efforts at combating the deadly virus.

“IBEDC, as a law-abiding corporate citizen and socially responsible organisation, has earmarked about N100m for relief items namely rice, noodles and semovita. This gesture encompasses the states we cover namely Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Kwara, and partly Niger, Kogi and Ekiti states.” he said