Outrageous billing tops NERC electricity complaints in 2025 with 8,305 cases

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) received 8,305 electricity complaints in 2025, with outrageous billing accounting for the largest share at 34.35 per cent. This is contained in NERC's 2025 Annual Report.

Billing-related complaints numbered 2,853, followed by metering at 29.62 per cent, service interruptions at 14.82 per cent and disconnections at 9.24 per cent. Together, these four categories made up 88.03 per cent of all complaints recorded during the period.

DisCos customer complaints

Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) received 708,699 complaints from their customers in 2025. Port Harcourt DisCo recorded the highest volume with 140,320 complaints, representing 19.80 per cent. Ibadan DisCo followed with 126,082 complaints, or 17.79 per cent, while Kano DisCo received 100,586 complaints, equal to 14.19 per cent.

Yola DisCo had the fewest complaints at 9,388, representing 1.32 per cent of the total. Metering was the most common complaint category among DisCo customers, accounting for 44.56 per cent of cases. Billing followed at 16.73 per cent, and service interruptions represented 8.47 per cent. The three categories made up 69.76 per cent of all complaints received by DisCos.

Resolution rate and NERC actions

NERC resolved only 3,840 of the 8,305 complaints submitted directly to it, giving a resolution rate of 46.24 per cent. Its Customer Complaint Units in Ikeja, Abuja and Eko received the highest numbers, with 2,860, 1,794 and 1,387 cases respectively. Those figures represent 34.44 per cent, 21.60 per cent and 16.70 per cent of total complaints.

Kano DisCo recorded the lowest number of direct complaints to NERC, with just 27, equivalent to 0.33 per cent.

NERC said it issued 194 licences, permits and certifications during the year. As of December 2025, the 30 licensed operational power plants had a combined nameplate capacity of 14,039 megawatts. Five are hydropower facilities, while the remaining 25 are gas-fired thermal power plants.

Separately, the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) issued 14 new electricity licences to boost competition. Axxela and Isolo Power Gen received approvals for power generation projects across Lagos. LASERC also plans new zonal offices to improve customer service and simplify regulatory access.

What this means for consumers

The report shows that electricity consumers still face serious metering and billing problems. With fewer than half of direct complaints resolved, many households and businesses may continue to wait for relief from disputed charges.