Nigeria is confronting significant challenges with unpaid electricity bills from its international customers, who owe a total of $17.8 million. The debt is owed by Togo, Niger and Benin. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the three countries were invoiced $18.69 million for electricity supplied during the third quarter of 2025, but they remitted only $7.125 million, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.56 million. In addition, legacy invoices amount to $14.7 million; of this, $7.84 million has been paid, leaving a balance of $6.23 million. At the current exchange rate, the total debt of $17.8 million is equivalent to over ₦25 billion.
The international customers—Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité—purchased power from Nigerian generation companies under bilateral cross‑border arrangements. By contrast, domestic bilateral customers in Nigeria performed better, remitting ₦3.19 billion out of the ₦3.64 billion invoiced to them during the quarter, a remittance rate of 87.61 percent. The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc and the Market Operator received a combined ₦381.29 billion from the 11 electricity distribution companies in Q3 2025, against a total invoice of ₦400.48 billion, translating to a remittance performance of 95.21 percent.
Unpaid electricity bills from international customers are not a new issue. Nigeria has faced persistent payment indiscipline despite capping exports to prioritize domestic needs amid generation shortfalls. While exports rely on Nigeria’s surplus power, ongoing payment problems and the need to balance regional obligations with local demand have led to reduced export levels. NERC notes that the figures are based on reconciled market settlements submitted to the commission as of 18 December 2025. The commission’s report underscores the necessity for improved payment performance from international customers to ensure the sustainability of Nigeria’s electricity market. Addressing these unpaid bills is crucial for the sector’s growth and development.
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