Authorities in South Africa temporarily disconnected electricity supply to Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria after the mission failed to settle outstanding utility charges.
The action was confirmed by the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya, who disclosed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter). According to her, the diplomatic mission had accumulated unpaid electricity bills owed to the city.
“We have disconnected electricity at the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria due to unpaid utility services,” Moya stated.
The move quickly drew attention online, with social media users in both Nigeria and South Africa questioning how a foreign diplomatic mission could fall behind on basic utility payments in a host country.
Hours later, the mayor provided an update, confirming that the Nigerian High Commission had cleared the outstanding debt, prompting the city to restore electricity supply.
“We appreciate the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for settling its debt. Power will now be reconnected,” she wrote.
As of the time of reporting, neither Nigeria’s High Commission in South Africa nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had released an official response regarding the incident.
The episode has renewed public concern over the funding and management of Nigeria’s foreign missions, particularly issues relating to operational costs, facility upkeep, and staff welfare abroad.
The situation also echoes similar incidents in Nigeria. In February 2024, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) issued disconnection notices to several government institutions — including the Presidential Villa, ministries, security agencies, and regional bodies — over unpaid electricity bills running into tens of billions of naira.
At the time, AEDC warned that continued non-payment would result in power cuts, citing prolonged efforts to recover the debts without success.