Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has raised a critical alarm over the escalating incidence of electricity theft in Plateau State, revealing that approximately 45 per cent of the energy supplied to the state is lost to illegal activities, a situation it warns poses a severe threat to the sustainability of power supply and could force a reduction in electricity allocation to the state. The Plateau State Chief Operating Officer of JED, Engr. Hamisu Wakili Jigawa, made the disclosure on Thursday, 9 July 2026, during the company's quarterly customer consultative forum held in Jos.
Jigawa described electricity theft as one of the biggest challenges confronting the company, stressing that no commercial enterprise could survive when nearly half of its product is stolen. "The issue of energy theft has become a serious challenge for us. In Plateau alone, about 45 per cent of our energy is lost to theft. No business can survive with such a high level of losses," he said. He warned that the continuous non-payment for energy could ultimately force the electricity market to reduce Plateau's electricity allocation, directly jeopardising the 20 to 24 hours of daily power currently enjoyed by many communities in the state.
Despite the challenge, Jigawa noted that Plateau remains one of JED's best-performing franchise areas, with about 70 per cent of customers in Jos receiving more than 20 hours of electricity daily. He added that the company plans to upgrade more feeders to Band A to enable additional communities to benefit from improved electricity supply.
To combat the menace, JED has introduced a whistleblower initiative known as PowerWatch, which encourages members of the public to report electricity theft, meter bypass, vandalism, and other illegal activities affecting the company's operations. Under the initiative, members of the public whose reports lead to the detection of electricity theft or tampering with company installations will receive financial rewards. The company has established dedicated hotlines (0911 888 2205 and 0707 470 8467) and an email address (powerwatch@jedplc.com) for residents to report suspicious activities. The company also assured informants of strict confidentiality, promising that the identity of every whistleblower will remain protected.
Jigawa added that the whistleblower policy also covers cases of staff misconduct and urged customers to report unethical behaviour through the company's telephone lines, email addresses and social media platforms. He said JED was also collaborating with relevant authorities to strengthen the prosecution of electricity offenders, stressing that effective enforcement is essential to improving electricity supply.
Addressing the infrastructure gap at the forum, JED's Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim, announced the upcoming distribution of 109,000 free prepaid meters across the company's four franchise states—Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, and Gombe—under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP). He clarified that unlike the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, where customers initially pay for meters and are later reimbursed through energy credits, meters distributed under DISREP and other government-backed initiatives are completely free. Ibrahim warned customers against paying any individual for meters under the DISREP rollout and advised them to report extortion attempts to the police or utility managers.
Responding to complaints over debt notifications appearing on newly installed prepaid meters, Ibrahim explained that outstanding debts from the old post-paid billing system were automatically transferred to the new meters. He said the company had introduced flexible repayment arrangements that allow indebted customers to settle outstanding bills in instalments through electricity vending, with customers owing less than N1 million able to repay as little as N2,000 monthly.
The customer consultative forum, held in line with regulatory requirements, provided an opportunity for customers to engage directly with the company, present unresolved complaints, and obtain prompt resolutions. Jigawa said the initiative reflects JED's commitment to strengthening customer relations and improving service delivery.
The company's warning comes amid broader challenges in Nigeria's power sector, where Distribution Companies continue to grapple with metering gaps, infrastructure vandalism, and significant revenue shortfalls. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved a downward review of Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) loss targets for 2026, setting an industry average of 16.92 per cent, down from 20.54 per cent in 2025, though JED's current loss levels far exceed this target.
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