Kaduna Disco Gets New Investor Six Months after NERC’s Intervention

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

More than Six months after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) dissolved the board and management of Kaduna Electric (KE), ASI Engineering Limited (ASI) has announced the successful acquisition of a 60 per cent equity stake in the Disco.

The acquisition, the company said, aligned with its strategic vision to enhance energy access, reliability, and efficiency in Nigeria.
“Kaduna Electric serves as a vital lifeline for residents, businesses, and industries in the franchise states (Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi) and we are committed to leveraging our expertise, resources, and technology to optimise its operations and service delivery.

“ASI is collaborating with stakeholders, especially the state governments within its franchise licence area, to create sustainable solutions that align with the region’s unique needs,” the new board led by Abubakar Suleiman stated.

It added that the collaborative approach would focus on modernising the electricity distribution network, implementing innovative solutions for energy management, and fostering greater customer satisfaction and engagement.
“The acquisition of 60 per cent equity of Kaduna Electric, which NERC has approved, marks a new dawn in the turnaround and repositioning of Kaduna Electric,” a statement from the new investor added.

NERC had in January announced the sack of the board of the company, over its failure to offset a debt of N110 billion owed the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and the Market Operator (MO), among other reasons.

In a statement announcing the change of baton at the weekend, Chairman of the Special Board, Rahila Thomas, who thanked NERC for the opportunity to serve alongside her team, noted some key improvements in the Disco during the short period.

She stated that after the takeover, the team was faced with the immediate challenges of a complex organisational structure, low employee morale, poor regulatory as well as health and safety compliance and zero 33kv feeder metering, indicative of poor energy accounting.