Togo, Benin, Niger Republic Owe Nigeria $12.66 Million for Electricity Supply in Q1 2026
By Aboki Forex —
The Republic of Benin, Togo and the Niger Republic paid only $4.82 million out of the $17.48 million electricity bill issued for the first quarter of 2026, leaving an outstanding balance of approximately $12.66 million. This represents a weak payment rate of 27.57% for electricity exported by Nigerian generation companies.
According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in its 2026 First Quarter Report, the three international bilateral customers were billed a combined $17.48 million for electricity supplied during the period but remitted only $4.82 million.
Breakdown of Payments by Country
A breakdown of the payments showed that Société Béninoise d'Énergie Électrique (SBEE) of the Republic of Benin accounted for the largest remittance, paying $4.05 million. This payment included $3.28 million for electricity supplied by Ughelli Power Plc and $770,000 for energy supplied by Paras Energy.
Meanwhile, Société Nigérienne d'Électricité (NIGELEC) of the Niger Republic remitted $1.87 million. Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET) paid $720,000.
The commission explained that the payments were made through the Market Operator (MO), which invoices both domestic and international bilateral customers for electricity transactions within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
Domestic Customers Perform Better
Beyond current invoices, NERC disclosed that the three international customers, alongside nine domestic bilateral customers, also made payments towards debts accumulated from previous quarters. The international customers paid $6.64 million, while domestic bilateral customers settled ₦2.59 billion in outstanding obligations.
In contrast to the international customers, domestic bilateral customers posted a much stronger payment performance. They paid ₦5.82 billion out of the ₦6.12 billion billed for electricity supplied during the first quarter, achieving a 95% remittance rate, according to the commission.
DisCos Revenue Collection Improves
On the distribution side, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) recorded improved revenue collection during the quarter. NERC reported that the 11 DisCos collectively billed customers ₦756.93 billion in the first quarter of 2026 and recovered ₦597.56 billion, representing a collection efficiency of 78.95%.
The regulator noted that while domestic electricity market collections remained relatively strong, improving payment compliance by both international customers and special consumers remains critical to strengthening liquidity across Nigeria's power sector.
What This Means for Nigeria
The persistent poor payment performance by neighbouring countries puts pressure on Nigeria's power sector revenues and liquidity. With over $12 million in unpaid invoices from just one quarter, the accumulated debt from international customers continues to strain the financial health of generation companies and the wider electricity supply industry.