Benin, Togo, Niger owe Nigeria N13bn in unpaid electricity bills — NERC report

Three West African countries—Benin, Togo and Niger—have accumulated electricity debts totalling $9.55 million (about N13.07 billion) owed to Nigeria for power supplied in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The figures, contained in the Commission’s latest market update, show that Nigeria’s market operator issued invoices worth $20.44 million to international bilateral electricity customers across the three countries during the period. However, only $10.89 million was paid, leaving a significant shortfall.

This translates to a remittance performance of 53.28 per cent, meaning just over half of the billed amount was recovered.

The report stated: “The three international bilateral customers being supplied by GenCos in the Nigerian electricity supply industry made a payment of $10.89m against the cumulative invoice of $20.44m issued by the MO for services rendered in 2025/Q4.”

A breakdown of payments shows uneven compliance across the various off-takers. In Benin, Paras-SBEE paid $1.67 million out of $2.45 million, while Transcorp-SBEE (Ughelli), operated under Transcorp, remitted only $0.46 million from a $3.74 million invoice—one of the lowest performances recorded.

In contrast, Transcorp-SBEE (Afam 3) in Benin performed better, paying $3.21 million out of $3.90 million.

In Niger, Mainstream-NIGELEC settled $4.09 million of its $5.96 million bill, while in Togo, Paras-CEET paid $1.46 million from $2.18 million. However, Odukpani-CEET in Togo recorded zero payment on its invoice.

In Benin, overall performance also remained mixed, with some entities meeting obligations while others significantly defaulted.

The report, based on reconciled market settlements as of April 2, 2026, highlights persistent challenges in Nigeria’s electricity export revenue recovery, even as the domestic power sector continues to struggle with supply shortages.

Analysts warn that continued non-payment by international customers could deepen financial pressure on Nigerian generation companies and strain the broader electricity market.