At least 12 people lost their lives and 14 others sustained various degrees of injuries in electricity-related accidents across Nigeria in the first quarter of 2025, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed.
The fatalities, which occurred under the operations of various electricity distribution companies (DisCos), have been linked to non-compliance with safety guidelines, according to NERC’s Q1 2025 report released this week.
According to the Commission, a total of 31 health and safety incidents were recorded between January and March 2025, resulting in 12 deaths and 14 injuries. While the figures represent a significant drop compared to the previous quarter, the Commission expressed concern over the continued safety lapses within the electricity distribution sector. “The total number of accidents in 2025/Q1 was 31, which resulted in 14 injuries and 12 fatalities,” the report stated.
The Distribution companies that were implicated were, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) which was linked to four of the deaths, at the highest in the quarter. Jos DisCo followed with three fatalities, while Benin and Kano DisCos each recorded two deaths. Port Harcourt DisCo was associated with one fatality.
Additionally, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) was sanctioned in connection with the electrocution of Mr. Moshood Salami in Binukonu Community, Kwara State, in January. NERC stated that the incident occurred due to IBEDC’s “non-compliance with the NESI’s regulations, distribution code, and health and safety requirements.”
NERC identified the causes of accidents during the quarter as including Illegal and unauthorised access (4 dates), Unsafe acts or conditions (3 deaths), Vandalism (2 deaths), Fall from height (1 death) and others (unspecificed).
The Commission noted that, compared to the last quarter of 2024, there was a 42.59% drop in total accidents (from 54 to 31), while fatalities decreased by 53.85% (from 26 to 12). Injuries also saw a decline of 26.32% (from 19 to 14).
None of the generation companies recorded any casualties in the period under review. Among the DisCos, Aba Power, Kano, and Yola were the only companies with no reported casualties. However, Benin (six casualties), Eko (five), and Ibadan (five) DisCos accounted for the highest number of combined fatalities and injuries, representing 23.07%, 19.23%, and 19.23% of the total casualties respectively.
Reiterating its commitment to safety enforcement, NERC said it has launched investigations into all reported accidents and will take necessary regulatory actions. “The Commission continues to closely monitor the implementation of licensees’ accident reduction strategies for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI),” the report stated.
NERC emphasized that despite marginal improvements, DisCos remain responsible for 100% of recorded casualties in Q1 2025, a trend that continues from previous quarters where they accounted for 92.98% (Q2 2024), 93.33% (Q3 2024), and 100% (Q4 2024) of all casualties. The regulatory body then affirmed its intention to strengthen enforcement and oversight to improve safety conditions across the electricity distribution sector.
