Power Consumers Receive N1.12 Trillion Bill, Pay N775 Billion

Data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has revealed that power consumers in Nigeria got a total bill of N1.12 trillion in 2021 but paid N775.33 billion, leaving a shortfall of N341.42 billion.

Punch reports that in the first quarter of 2021, electricity consumers were charged N271.85 billion by Discos, out of which N186.34 billion was paid.

Commenting on the commercial performance of the distribution companies in Q1 2021, NERC said, “The financial viability and commercial performance of the industry recorded a marginal improvement in 2021/Q1.

“The total billings by all Discos to registered customers during the quarter under review were N271.85 billion, an increase of 4.6 per cent from the N259.90 billion recorded in the preceding quarter.

"However, only N186.34 billion (or 68.55 per cent) was collected.”

In the second quarter, the commission stated that “the total billing to and collection from electricity consumers by all the Discos stood at N268.97 billion and N185.29 billion respectively during the quarter under review, implying a collection efficiency of 68.89 per cent.”

For Q3 2021, the power sector regulator stated that the total revenue collected by all Discos was N193.53 billion, out of the N273 billion billed to customers.

“This represents a collection efficiency of 70.89 per cent as compared to 68.89 per cent recorded in 2021/Q2,” the commission stated.

For Q4 2021, the NERC stated that power consumers paid a total of N210.17bn to distribution companies.

It further said that the N210.17 billion represented 9.34 per cent of the total electricity bill given to consumers during the period.

“The total revenue collected by all Discos in 2021/Q4 was N210.17 billion out of N303.11 billion billed to customers – corresponding to a collection efficiency of 69.34 per cent (70.89 per cent in 2021/Q3),” the regulator stated.