Lagos Deputy Governor Slams DisCos Over "Crazy" Electricity Bills—Reveals N29 Million Bill

 

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has publicly decried the outrageous electricity billing system by power distribution companies, revealing that his official residence received a jaw-dropping N29 million electricity bill for April—up from N2.7 million in March.

Speaking at a high-level roundtable between the Lagos State Government and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) held on Monday, April 14 in Victoria Island, Hamzat expressed deep frustration over what he called “crazy billing” practices, particularly from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

“I am a very good example. Last month, my official residence got a bill of N2.7 million. This month, EKEDC sent a bill of N29 million. I sent it to the Commissioner for Energy—it’s crazy,” Hamzat said.

He revealed that despite paying for a prepaid meter in a bid to escape the burden of estimated billing, he has been stonewalled by the DisCo in efforts to have it installed and activated.

Dr. Hamzat, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, emphasized that the problem goes beyond government officials.

“Our people are suffering because of estimated billing,” he stated, citing the case of a Surulere resident who received a N2.8 million bill, which was even more than his N2 million annual rent.

The roundtable served as a platform for addressing these critical power issues and marked a significant milestone: the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lagos State Government and the REA to bring solar power solutions to underserved rural communities.

Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, praised the new partnership, calling it a game-changer for rural electrification in Lagos State.

“Opportunities are opening up for those who never thought they would experience constant and stable electricity,” Ogunleye said.

With the state government ramping up efforts to promote alternative energy and protect residents from exploitative electricity practices, the message from Monday’s event was clear: Lagosians deserve fair, reliable, and affordable power—and leaders are feeling the pain too.