Electricity supply to the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa was disconnected on Monday over unpaid municipal utility bills, according to the City of Tshwane’s Executive Mayor, Nasiphi Moya.
Ms. Moya disclosed the action in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that city officials carried out the disconnection after outstanding payments for utility services remained unsettled by the diplomatic mission.
The mayor shared a photograph of the Nigerian High Commission building in Pretoria alongside the announcement, showing enforcement action taken by the municipality against the mission.
“#TshwaneYaTima: We’ve disconnected electricity at the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They owe the city for utility services,” Moya wrote.
The incident has drawn attention to mounting operational challenges confronting several Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad, many of which have faced persistent funding constraints, administrative delays, and leadership gaps in recent months.
Such challenges have raised concerns about Nigeria’s ability to adequately support its foreign missions, particularly in maintaining basic services and meeting host-country obligations.
However, in a follow-up statement later on Monday, the Tshwane mayor confirmed that the issue had been resolved after the outstanding debt was settled by the Nigerian High Commission.
“We thank the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for honouring its debt to the city. The city will reconnect electricity,” Moya said.
Electricity supply to the mission was subsequently restored, bringing the brief standoff to an end.
