The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, inaugurated the new Interim Board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDC), pursuant to the Commission’s Intervention Order issued earlier this month.
The board’s installation follows a decision NERC made on August 10, when it dissolved KAEDC’s board of directors over what it described as a “grave situation” of financial insolvency and prolonged regulatory default.
In the order, NERC put the DisCo’s cumulative market obligations at roughly N456.5 billion as of May 2026, including about N415.5 billion owed to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc and N41 billion owed to the Nigerian Independent System Operator, plus another N14.26 billion in non-market statutory and third-party obligations.
NERC said the company had continued to slide even after ASI Engineering Limited took operational control in June 2024, accumulating an additional N118.6 billion in market debt by May 2026 while repeatedly failing to provide the payment bank guarantees required under its Vesting Contract.
“The core investor and operator have repeatedly failed to provide acceptable payment bank guarantees and a credible repayment plan as required under the Vesting Contract and Market Rules,” the Commission said in its order.
Under Order No. NERC/2026/086, the Commission constituted a five-member Interim Board of Special Directors, chaired by Dr. Abdullahi Garba, for an initial period of one year, alongside an Interim Administrator, Abubakar Umar Hashidu, appointed for an initial six-month period, to drive the reset of the distribution company.
Other members of the interim board are Francis Agoha, Aliyu Aliyu, Henry Ayamasaowei and Haliru Dikko, who will serve as special directors, while Ayodeji A. Gbeleyi represents the Bureau of Public Enterprises.
Addressing the newly constituted board, NERC Chairman Musiliu Oseni charged the special directors to move quickly to stabilize the company.
He recalled that the Commission had carried out a similar intervention in 2024 that improved KAEDC’s performance before the previous investors resumed control and asked the new board to return the company to a sustainable growth trajectory within twelve months.
Also speaking, Ayo Gbeleyi, director general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, urged the management to make full use of available metering programmes to close the metering gap across KAEDC’s franchise area.
Dafe Akpeneye, NERC’s Commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance, said the special directors were “carefully selected based on their diverse professional expertise and relevant skills.”
Board Chairman, Abdullahi Garba, responding on behalf of the new team, pledged close cooperation with the regulator and the Bureau of Public Enterprises going forward.
He said the board members would work closely with NERC and BPE to address outstanding issues and strengthen KAEDC’s operational and financial performance.
Shortly after the inauguration, a joint delegation of NERC, the newly inaugurated board, KAEDC’s management and staff paid a courtesy visit to the Headquarters, One Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna. They were received by the General Officer Commanding and senior officers of the Division.
The delegation was also at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna, where they were received by the Commandant and principal officers of the Academy.
