Benin, Niger, and Togo have accumulated nearly $20 million in unpaid electricity bills to Nigeria for power supplied during the first half of 2025, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
International bilateral customers, including Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE) from Benin, Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET), and Société Nigerienne d’Électricité (NIGELEC) from Niger, received electricity worth $34.78 million in the first two quarters of 2025. They have paid only $14.81 million, leaving an outstanding debt of $19.97 million.
Breakdowns show uneven payments across companies. Paras-SBEE made no payments on $5.19 million invoiced, while Paras-CEET paid $0.63 million of $1.92 million in the first quarter but nothing for $2.02 million in the second.
Transcorp-SBEE (Ughelli) met $7.29 million of $10.44 million invoiced, while Transcorp-SBEE (Afam) paid only $1.25 million of $3.01 million invoiced. Mainstream-NIGELEC covered $5.72 million of $6.75 million invoiced, whereas Odukpani-CEET paid nothing on $5.45 million invoiced.
NERC also flagged local defaults. Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd and its host community failed to settle N1.38 billion and N0.13 billion invoices in the first quarter and N1.27 billion and N0.12 billion in the second quarter.
The regulator stressed that accurate customer enumeration and installation of end-use meters remain the most effective tools for improving revenue recovery. By June 2025, DisCos had metered over 107,000 Band A customers under the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme.
“NERC continues to encourage distribution companies to leverage the MAF, NERC MAP, and NMMP metering frameworks to reduce commercial and collection losses,” the commission said in its report.
Domestic consumer debt also remains high. Eleven Nigerian Distribution Companies collected N1.11 trillion of N1.48 trillion billed between January and June 2025, leaving a N368.26 billion shortfall.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to addressing power outages and strengthening grid stability as non-payment continues to challenge electricity sector financing.
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