Electricity consumers across Nigeria paid a total of N1.13tn to power distribution companies within six months, despite persistent blackouts and complaints of poor electricity supply nationwide.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission shows that the amount was collected between April and September 2025, covering the second and third quarters of the year. The figures were contained in NERC’s detailed monthly performance report on revenue collection and efficiency across the eleven electricity distribution companies.
The report revealed that customers were billed heavily during the period, even as the national power grid suffered a collapse and power generation companies struggled to sustain supply due to gas shortages linked to unpaid debts.
In the third quarter of 2025 alone, electricity distributors collected N570.25bn from customers out of a total billed amount of N706.61bn. This resulted in a collection efficiency of 80.70 per cent. In comparison, the second quarter recorded a total collection of N564.71bn from N742.34bn billed, representing a collection efficiency of 76.07 per cent.
Combined, the two quarters indicate that electricity users paid N1.13tn in bills within six months, with an overall improvement of 4.63 percentage points in collection efficiency between the second and third quarters.
A breakdown of performance showed that Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company recorded the highest collection efficiency at 100 per cent in the third quarter. Other strong performers included Eko with 88.74 per cent, Benin with 86.44 per cent and Abuja with 81.60 per cent. Kaduna DisCo recorded the weakest performance, with a collection efficiency of 45.67 per cent.
Further analysis showed that Ikeja, Port Harcourt, Yola, Abuja, Jos, Eko and Benin DisCos improved their collection efficiencies between the two quarters. In contrast, Kaduna and Ibadan DisCos recorded the steepest declines during the period.
Monthly figures revealed that N564.67bn was collected between April and June, while N570.28bn was recovered between July and September. September 2025 recorded the highest monthly collection at N192.29bn, suggesting some level of revenue stabilisation.
NERC attributed the improvement in revenue recovery partly to reduced energy offtake during the third quarter. According to the commission, distribution companies tend to prioritise areas with historically higher revenue efficiency when power supply is limited.
The regulator emphasised that accurate metering remains critical to improving billing transparency and revenue collection. It disclosed that over 107,000 meters were installed for Band A customers under the first tranche of the Meter Acquisition Fund, which ended in June 2025. NERC added that an additional N28bn had been approved under the second tranche of the scheme to expand metering for Band A and Band B customers.
