Nigeria Settles Utility Debt After Power Cut in South Africa

​In a swift resolution to a diplomatic embarrassment, the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa has fully settled its outstanding utility debts following a power disconnection by municipal authorities in Pretoria.

​The disconnection was part of the #TshwaneYaTima (Tshwane is switching off) campaign, a high-profile debt recovery initiative led by the City of Tshwane to recoup billions of Rand in unpaid services from residents, businesses, and diplomatic missions alike.

​The Disconnection and Swift Payback

​The Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Nasiphi Moya, confirmed the enforcement action via social media, stating that the commission’s electricity supply was severed due to significant arrears.

​”We’ve disconnected electricity at the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They owe the city for utility services,” Moya stated during the operation.

​However, the blackout was short-lived. Just hours after the news broke, the Mayor confirmed that the Nigerian mission had remitted the full amount owed. Moya expressed appreciation for the commission’s cooperation, noting that technical teams were immediately dispatched to restore power.

​A Recurring Pattern of Arrears

​This incident marks the third time in recent years that Nigeria’s diplomatic presence in South Africa has faced utility-related disruptions:

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• ​January 2026 (Present): Power cut by City of Tshwane; debt cleared within hours.
• ​September 2025: The High Commission faced a similar outage due to accumulated charges.
• ​January 2023: The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg was disconnected by City Power over a debt of approximately R600,000 ($35,000).

​The Broader Context

​The City of Tshwane is currently grappling with a financial crisis, owing billions to the national power utility, Eskom. To bridge this gap, the municipality has adopted a “zero-tolerance” policy, targeting high-profile debtors to signal that no entity—including foreign embassies—is exempt from service payments.

​While the exact figure for this latest settlement was not disclosed, the speed of the payment suggests a move by the Nigerian government to avoid a prolonged diplomatic spat and maintain its standing in South Africa’s administrative capital.