Nigerians Pay N1.13tn in Electricity Bills Despite Frequent Blackouts

January 7, 2026

Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria collected a total of N1.13 trillion from consumers over the six months spanning April to September 2025, despite widespread complaints of blackouts and low power supply across the country.

According to detailed monthly performance data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the national power grid experienced periods of collapse during this period, leaving many customers in the dark. Power generation companies (GenCos) also reported reduced output due to low gas supply to power plants, which was linked to unpaid debts.

NERC’s report on monthly revenue performance and collection efficiency for the 11 DisCos showed that in the third quarter of 2025, DisCos collected N570.25 billion out of N706.61 billion billed to customers, representing a collection efficiency of 80.70%. In the second quarter, N564.71 billion was collected from N742.34 billion billed, translating to a 76.07% collection efficiency. This represents a 4.63 percentage point increase in efficiency between Q2 and Q3.

Ikeja DisCo recorded the highest collection efficiency at 100% in Q3 2025. Other high performers included Eko (88.74%), Benin (86.44%), and Abuja (81.60%). Kaduna DisCo had the lowest efficiency at 45.67%. Efficiency improvements were also recorded for Port Harcourt (+8.83 pp), Yola (+8.72 pp), Abuja (+5.24 pp), Jos (+4.90 pp), Eko (+0.94 pp), and Benin (+0.89 pp). However, Kaduna (-2.70 pp) and Ibadan (-1.34 pp) experienced declines.

Monthly breakdowns showed that in Q2, revenue collected was N197.08 billion in April, N188.70 billion in May, and N178.89 billion in June. In Q3, collections increased to N190.52 billion in July, N187.47 billion in August, and N192.29 billion in September, marking September as the highest collection month during the period.

The NERC report highlighted ongoing efforts by DisCos to improve revenue recovery despite challenges such as estimated billing, energy theft, and aging infrastructure. It noted an inverse relationship between energy offtake and collection efficiency: when less energy is supplied, DisCos tend to prioritise areas with historically lower accounting and collection efficiency.

The commission emphasized the need for accurate metering to boost revenue collection. The Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF), launched in 2024, has enabled DisCos to install meters for unmetered Band A and B customers. By June 2025, 107,461 meters were installed under MAF tranche A. Tranche B, launched in September 2025, allows DisCos to use N28 billion to expand metering further in their service areas.

Despite persistent outages, the NERC data underscores that Nigerians continue to pay substantial electricity bills, highlighting the ongoing challenge of improving both power supply and collection efficiency in the country’s electricity sector.