Togo, Niger, Benin Owe Nigeria $11.16m for Electricity Supplied in 2025 – NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed that electricity customers in Togo, Niger and Benin owe Nigeria $11.16 million for power supplied under bilateral arrangements in 2025.

NERC made this known in its 2025 Annual Report, stating that the Market Operator (MO) issued invoices totalling $73.91 million to the three international electricity customers during the year.

According to the commission, only $62.75 million was paid, representing a remittance performance of 84.90 percent and leaving an outstanding balance of $11.16 million.

The international customers identified by NERC are the Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET), Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE) of Benin, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité (NIGELEC) of Niger.

NERC said the invoices covered ancillary services provided by the Market Operator to the international bilateral customers.

“The international bilateral customers received a total invoice of $73.91 million for ancillary services provided by the MO and made a total payment of $62.75 million, corresponding to a remittance performance of 84.90 percent,” the commission stated.

Domestic Customers’ Payments

The report also showed that domestic bilateral customers were invoiced N13.20 trillion for services rendered in 2025 but paid N12.75 trillion.

NERC said this amounted to a remittance performance of 96.60 percent.

Meanwhile, Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and its host community, which are classified as a special customer, reportedly failed to make any payment towards electricity-related invoices issued during the period.

NERC said Ajaokuta was issued an invoice of N4.96 billion by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), as well as another N500 million invoice by the Market Operator.

“The Commission has escalated the issue of continual non-payment of electricity bills by Ajaokuta to the relevant federal ministries to find a lasting solution,” NERC said.

The commission warned that continued failure to settle the outstanding obligations could expose the Ajaokuta complex to disconnection from its electricity service providers because of its indebtedness.

NERC further disclosed that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) collectively took off 31,251.77 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy in 2025.

However, only 25,867.86 GWh was billed to customers, resulting in a market energy accounting efficiency of 82.77 percent, according to the regulator.