Authorities in South Africa’s capital region briefly severed electricity to Nigeria’s diplomatic outpost on Monday over outstanding bills, only to restore it hours later after the arrears were cleared, in a move that exposed funding woes plaguing Abuja’s overseas representations.
The City of Tshwane, encompassing Pretoria, announced the disconnection via social media, with Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya posting: “#TshwaneYaTima: We’ve disconnected electricity at the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They owe the city for utility services.”
Power was reinstated following payment, as Moya confirmed in a follow-up update: “We thank the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for honouring its debt to the city. The city will reconnect electricity.”
Neither the Nigerian High Commission nor the foreign ministry in Abuja issued an immediate response, leaving the episode to fuel online debates about the management of Nigeria’s embassies, including chronic issues with funding, upkeep and employee benefits.
The incident echoes domestic troubles in Nigeria, where in February 2024 the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc threatened to cut supply to the presidential villa and other state entities over a staggering 47.1 billion naira ($28.5 million) in unpaid bills, with the presidency alone owing over 923 million naira.
Such disconnections, while rare for diplomatic premises protected under international conventions, underscore broader fiscal strains in Africa’s largest economy amid inflation and currency devaluation.
