The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, says Electricity consumers owe the distribution companies up to 54 billion Naira for the power consumed in February this year.
In its Factsheet for February, NERC disclosed that the 12 Distribution Companies, Discos were able to recover 191.75 Billion Naira out of the 245.93 Billion Nair total billings. This represents 77.9 per cent collection efficiency and a 6.56 percent increase compared to January 2025.
NERC also disclosed that 2,583.19 gigawatt-hours was the total energy received in February, while 2,137 GWh was the total energy billed. This represents a billing efficiency of 82.73 per cent and an increase of 1.81 per cent month-on-month.
Similarly, the allowed average tariff was 116.18 Naira per kilowatt-hour, but the Discos were able to collect an average of 88.21 Naira per kWh, being a 75.9 per cent recovery efficiency. It is 10.5 percent higher than that of January.
Ibadan Disco, operating in seven states, billed its customers 26.88 Billion Naira and collected 19.28 Billion Naira, which was 71.72 percent. Ikeja Disco had 41.18 Billion Naira billings but recovered 33.35 Billion Naira from customers, having an 81 percent collection rate.
Reports show that commercial losses and low recovery rates remain a major concern to investors in the power sector. The inability of the utility companies and the government to meter all customers has also been blamed for the low cost recovery.
With over seven million unmetered customers, there are usually disputes between a customer and the Disco over the actual cost of consumption, as estimated billings have failed to give customers the real cost of electricity consumed at a given time.
Recently, the regulator sanctioned eight Discos for overbilling their customers.
Culled from Punchng
