Authorities in South Africa’s City of Tshwane have disconnected and later restored electricity supply to Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria after the diplomatic mission settled outstanding utility bills owed to the municipality.

The power cut was confirmed on Monday by the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya, who disclosed the action on X as part of the city’s intensified credit-control enforcement.

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

The Nigerian High Commission became one of several institutions affected by Tshwane’s ongoing clampdown on unpaid municipal accounts. The campaign has targeted private residents, businesses, government departments and state-owned entities, with city officials stressing that no organisation is exempt from meeting its financial obligations, regardless of diplomatic or institutional status.

Shortly after the disconnection, Mayor Moya announced that the issue had been resolved following payment by the Nigerian mission.

“We thank the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for honouring its debt to the city. The city will reconnect electricity,” she said in a follow-up post, confirming the restoration of power to the premises.

Tshwane has faced mounting revenue challenges in recent years, driven largely by unpaid municipal bills running into billions of rand.

In response, the city launched the #TshwaneYaTima initiative to enforce stricter credit-control measures, including electricity disconnections and reconnections linked directly to the settlement of outstanding debts or formal repayment arrangements.

Municipal authorities argue that the policy is critical to stabilising the city’s finances, maintaining infrastructure, meeting obligations to service providers and ensuring uninterrupted delivery of basic services to residents.

Nigeria’s High Commission did not immediately comment on the incident. However, the swift settlement of the debt and restoration of electricity suggest efforts to promptly resolve the matter and avert any diplomatic complications.

As of the time of filing this report, the mission had yet to issue an official statement. Normal operations at Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria have since resumed following the reconnection of power. (Guardian)

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