Togo and Benin Republic Owe Nigeria $14M for Electricity Supply
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has revealed that Togo and Benin republic owe Nigeria a cumulative $14.19 million for electricity supplied during the first quarter of 2024.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) disclosed this in a recent report reviewed by the electricity commission. The outstanding amounts are substantial, with Benin Republic’s Para-SBEE owing $3.15 million and Transcorp-SBEE $4.46 million, while Togo’s Mainstream-NIGELEC and Odukpani-CEET owe $1.21 million and $5.36 million, respectively.
Domestically, local bilateral customers also failed to remit payments, with a cumulative invoice of ₦1.86 million for Q1 2024 remaining unsettled. However, the NERC report notes that some bilateral customers—both local and international—did make partial payments during the quarter, addressing outstanding invoices from previous periods. Specifically, two international customers settled a total of $5.96 million, while eight local customers contributed ₦505.71 million towards past debts.
NERC has urged the market operator to enforce market rules more strictly to address what it describes as rampant payment indiscipline. This issue has been ongoing, with reports from May revealing that international consumers had failed to remit approximately $51.26 million for Nigerian electricity exported from Nigeria in 2023. Additionally, bilateral power consumers were delinquent in remitting around ₦7.61 billion for the same year.
The commission has condemned these payment lapses, urging corrective measures to ensure compliance. The industry data reveals staggering figures, with international consumers defaulting on payments amounting to $16.11 million, $11.97 million, $11.16 million, and $12.02 million in each quarter of 2023.
Previous Electricity Bill Issue Between Nigeria, Togo, Niger and Benin Republic
In 2023, The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) reported that three international customers owed a total of $16.11 million for electricity, but none of them made any payments. These customers, from Benin Republic, Niger, and Togo, included Paras-SBEE, Transcorp-SBEE, Mainstream-NIGELEC, and Odukpani-CEET, the debt amounted to approximately ₦12.38 billion.
