Power bills from three neighbouring countries continue to pile up, leaving Nigeria waiting for more than ₦25 billion.
Unpaid Cross-Border Power Bills
Specifically, Togo, Benin, and Niger owe for electricity that Nigeria supplied under cross-border agreements, NERC reports.
In Q3 2025, the Market Operator invoiced them $18.69 million for electricity delivered.
However, the countries paid only $7.125 million, leaving $11.56 million unpaid for the quarter.
Moreover, when including previous unpaid invoices, the total debt from these countries reaches about $17.6 million.
Defaulters And Domestic Performance
NERC identified the defaulters as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité.
The three countries consumed electricity generated by Nigeria’s grid-connected generation companies through bilateral arrangements.
Consequently, NERC said these customers paid just 38% of their Q3 invoices, leaving the majority unpaid.
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Although some payments addressed older invoices, the debts remain far from fully settled.
In contrast, domestic bilateral customers performed much better, paying nearly 88% of their billed electricity.
Furthermore, Nigeria’s 11 electricity distribution companies remitted 95% of their invoices successfully, NERC added.
Government Measures
The regulator explained that these figures came from reconciled market settlements submitted as of December 18, 2025.
In December, the government launched the first bond under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme.
Specifically, the ₦590 billion Series 1 Power Sector Bond, backed by the government, aims to reduce arrears and stabilise the electricity market.
Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to supply electricity across borders, but delayed payments strain the energy sector.
Therefore, NERC emphasises the importance of timely remittances to maintain a reliable power supply.
Ultimately, the government hopes improved collections and the bond will address long-standing payment gaps.
As cross-border electricity trade grows, timely payments remain critical for Nigeria’s energy stability.
