Committee warns of sanctions as Discos snub summons in ongoing ₦2.6tn revenue probe
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday summoned the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company over their failure to remit more than ₦100 billion owed to the Federal Government.
At a public hearing held in Abuja, the committee issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the three electricity distribution companies, directing them to appear before it or face sanctions for what lawmakers described as repeated disregard for legislative summons.
The decision followed the adoption of an interim report presented by the chairman of the PAC sub-committee, Mark Obetta. The committee is chaired by Bamidele Salam, who represents 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 explain a cumulative debt of ₦2.6 trillion allegedly owed to the Federation Account.
According to the committee, the liabilities captured in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s reports for the 2021 and 2022 financial years stem from unremitted revenues and statutory obligations due to the Federal Government.
While several of the affected Discos have appeared before the committee or formally engaged with the inquiry, the managements of IBEDC, BEDC and PHEDC have repeatedly failed to honour invitations, prompting the committee’s latest action.
Members of the PAC described the conduct of the three companies as deliberate legislative contempt and warned that stiff sanctions would be imposed if they fail to appear before the committee on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
Speaking at the hearing, Salam expressed concern over the length of time the debts have remained unpaid, noting that some of the liabilities date back more than a decade.
“There is a need for urgent and decisive action to recover these funds and ensure they are properly accounted for in the interest of the Nigerian government and the public,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that the probe falls squarely within the committee’s constitutional mandate to examine the accounts of ministries, departments and agencies, as well as private entities entrusted with the management or collection of public funds.
In recent months, the PAC has intensified recovery efforts linked to issues raised in audit reports, resulting in increased remittances to the Federation Account and renewed focus on fiscal discipline across revenue-generating institutions.
The committee stressed that compliance by electricity distribution companies is particularly critical given the strategic importance of the power sector and the scale of public funds involved.
It also reiterated that the ongoing investigation is aimed at strengthening accountability, enforcing financial regulations and safeguarding public resources, rather than disrupting legitimate business activities.
The PAC warned that failure to comply with its summons would attract penalties as prescribed by law, underscoring the House of Representatives’ determination to enforce transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
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