House Public Accounts Committee issues discos debt summons over failure to remit N100bn to the Federal Government

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has summoned the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company over their failure to remit more than N100 billion owed to the Federal Government.

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The directive was issued on Monday, December 16, 2025, during a public hearing held in Abuja.

The committee gave the three electricity distribution companies a 72-hour ultimatum to appear before it, warning that failure to comply would attract sanctions for what lawmakers described as persistent disregard for legislative summons.

The decision followed the consideration of an interim report presented by the chairman of the committee’s subcommittee, Mark Obetta.

The panel is chaired by Bamidele Salam, the lawmaker representing Ede North, Ede South and Egbedore Federal Constituency of Osun State.

The summons forms part of a wider investigation launched by the Public Accounts Committee on August 20, 2025, when 11 electricity distribution companies were invited to account for a cumulative debt of N2.6 trillion owed to the Federation Account.

According to reports from the Auditor General of the Federation for the 2021 and 2022 financial years, the liabilities relate to unremitted revenues and statutory obligations due to the Federal Government.

While several of the affected companies have appeared before the committee or engaged with the investigation, the management of IBEDC, BEDC and PHEDC have repeatedly failed to honour invitations, prompting the committee’s latest action.

Members of the panel described the conduct of the three distribution companies as deliberate acts of legislative contempt and warned that stiff penalties would be imposed if they fail to appear before the committee on Thursday, December 18, 2025.

Addressing the hearing, Salam expressed concern over the prolonged nature of the outstanding debts, noting that some liabilities have remained unpaid for more than a decade.

He said urgent and decisive action was required to recover the funds and ensure proper accountability in the public interest.

The investigation falls within the constitutional mandate of the Public Accounts Committee to scrutinise the financial activities of government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as private entities entrusted with public funds.

In recent months, the committee has intensified efforts to recover outstanding revenues identified in audit reports, leading to increased remittances to the Federation Account and a renewed focus on fiscal discipline.

The committee stressed that ensuring compliance by electricity distribution companies is critical given the strategic importance of the power sector and the scale of public resources involved.

It added that the intervention is aimed at strengthening accountability and safeguarding public funds, not disrupting legitimate business operations.

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The House reaffirmed that failure to comply with legislative summons would attract penalties as provided by law, underscoring its resolve to enforce transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.