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By Adewale Sanyaolu
Thousands of electricity consumers under Ikeja Electric’s network face the risk of experiencing power supply cut iver a new directive requesting the submission of their Tax Identification Number (TIN), National Identification Number (NIN), or Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration number before February 20, 2026.
The distribution company (DisCo) in a notice issued on Wednesday, declared that customers who do not comply with the new identification requirement under the Nigeria Tax Act (2025) may have their invoices invalidated — a move that could ultimately halt bill generation and trigger service suspension.
The directive is rooted in the sweeping tax reform that came into force on January 1, 2026, which mandates that all invoices issued in Nigeria — including electricity bills — must carry at least one verifiable customer identification number for tax and audit purposes.
Ikeja Electric made it clear that any invoice issued without a TIN, NIN, or CAC registration number would be deemed non-compliant with the law.
“This is not optional,” the company stressed in its public notice, urging postpaid and estimated billing customers to urgently update their details to avoid disruption.
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The implication is far-reaching: without valid identification data, invoices cannot be legally recognised under the new tax regime. For customers, that means no bill generation — and potentially, no power supply.
The company directed affected customers to update their records beginning with their January 2026 bills by completing a designated online form, warning that the compliance window is rapidly closing.
Head of Corporate Communications at Ikeja Electric, Mr. Kingsley Okotie, clarified that prepaid customers are not affected, as the requirement applies strictly to customers who receive monthly electricity invoices — including those on estimated billing.
Responding to concerns over the short notice period, Okotie acknowledged that the February 20 deadline is close but emphasised that the compliance timeline is driven by statutory obligations under the new tax law.
Industry observers say the development signals a new phase of enforcement under the Nigeria Tax Act (2025), with utility providers now serving as frontline compliance enforcers in the Federal Government’s drive to tighten tax documentation, expand the national database, and improve revenue transparency.
