The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has revealed that Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and its host community failed to pay a combined electricity debt of ₦1.39 billion in the second quarter of 2025.
According to NERC’s Q2 2025 Power Sector Report, the steel company owes ₦1.27 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and another ₦0.12 billion to the Market Operator (MO).
Located in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, the steel complex—once envisioned as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrialization—has remained largely dormant for decades but continues to accumulate energy bills.
NERC noted that the non-payment reflects a recurring pattern of indebtedness despite several interventions and engagements with relevant authorities.
“The Commission has communicated the need for intervention on this issue to the relevant federal government authorities,” the report stated.
Efforts to revive Ajaokuta Steel have repeatedly stalled due to persistent funding constraints and policy inconsistencies, leaving the massive industrial project inactive but financially burdensome.
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