NERC appoints interim board for Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has established a five-member Interim Board of Special Directors for Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc (KAEDC) to stabilize the company within 12 months. This intervention follows the dissolution of the previous board due to accumulated market liabilities exceeding N450 billion and Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses surpassing 71 per cent.

NERC Chairman Dr. Musiliu Oseni tasked the new board, led by Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Garba, with addressing the significant metering deficit and improving operational performance. The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has been requested to secure a new core investor for the utility.

Industry experts have noted that the move highlights systemic issues within Nigeria’s power privatisation model. Critics argue that while the regulatory action addresses immediate debt, long-term stability requires resolving governance gaps at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), injecting capital, and aligning tariffs with actual costs to prevent similar crises in other distribution companies.