NERC Issues Warnings as Report Shows Number of Deaths Resulting from Illegal Connections, Vandalism

• The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has released a summary report of electricity-related deaths that occurred in 2024
• The report points out the two highest causes of electricity-related accidents leading to deaths and injuries
• One of the leading causes identified was the public vandalism of electricity installations and infrastructure

Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

The recent quarterly report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) identified vandalism and wire snaps as a major cause of electricity-related accidents and deaths in Nigeria.

The report showed that the number of electricity-related deaths in Nigeria declined slightly from 115 in 2023 to 112 in 2024.

Other fatalities from these accidents also amounted to 95 in 2024, a slight drop from the 102 reported in 2023.

The majority of this number was, however, attributed to vandalism and wire snaps, affecting members of the public and workers with the electricity generation and distribution companies.

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Wire snaps were identified to be responsible for six deaths and six injured casualties, while two deaths and five injuries were traced to acts of vandalism.

Other identified causes were illegal and unauthorized access to electrical installations, which was responsible for five deaths and two injuries, while falls from heights resulted in two injuries.

EKEDC leads with highest casualties

In Q1 2024, DisCos accounted for 96.3% of all casualties, and Eko Electricity Distribution Company led with 13 casualties out of the total 54 recorded.

Benin DisCo had 8 casualties, Jos and Aba Discos had 6 each, while NESCO and Yola DisCos had zero casualties, the PUNCH reports.

In Q2 2024, Ibadan DisCo had the highest with 13 out of 51 casualties recorded. Eko DisCo had 8 casualties, Jos had 7, Enugu had 6, while NESCO and Yola again recorded zero casualties.

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Deaths increased in this quarter to 34, while the number of injuries dropped to 17.

In Q3, DisCos accounted for 92.98% of total casualties, and Ibadan DisCo led again with 11 out of 57 casualties. Kaduna Disco had 10, Abuja DisCo had 7, and this time around, the Egbin Power Plant had 1 casualty.

Again, NESCO kept a clean sheet with zero casualties.

In Q4, 2024, all DisCos except Benin and Kaduna DisCos recorded casualties, and the total deaths were 26, while the injured were 19.

NERC identifies causes of electricity-related accidents

1. Some casualties were traced to explosions, acts of vandalism, and fire outbreaks, causing damage to property and infrastructure.
2. Illegal and unauthorised electricity connections were responsible for 11 deaths in Q2 and in other quarters. Other fatalities still resulted from this cause.
3. Wire snaps were the most prevalent cause across multiple quarters, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
4. Unsafe acts or conditions accounted for at least 6 deaths and 18 injuries.
5. Falls from height resulted in several fatalities and injuries, but no deaths resulted.
6. Operational lapses, poor safety practices, and other acts of vandalism.

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This trend showed that electricity distribution still has a lot of safety issues that need to be addressed for the safety of Nigerians.

The commission stated in its report that it is still investigating all the accidents and will enforce sanctions if the findings call for them. NERC has also organised training programmes like the Health and Safety Manager’s Meeting to better equip utility workers.

Compensation negotiations are also ongoing with the families of the victims recorded in Q4, 2024, and NERC promised that the families would be fairly compensated.

NERC orders DisCos to be transparent with meter refunds

In related news, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed DisCos to be transparent about the refunds they have given to consumers who bought meters through the Meter Asset Providers program.

Consumer advocacy organisations had earlier expressed their displeasure with the discos' uneven refunding of those who buy meters via the MAP program.

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According to the MAP framework, third-party investors can provide and maintain end-use meters as a service, and customers who use these meters pay metering service fees.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng