Despite widespread electricity shortages across Nigeria, neighbouring West African countries supplied with power from the national grid are owing the country millions of dollars in unpaid electricity bills.
According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Togo, Niger and Benin currently owe Nigeria $17.8 million (about ₦25 billion at the prevailing exchange rate) for electricity supplied under existing bilateral power agreements.
The revelation has sparked renewed concerns among Nigerians who continue to grapple with erratic power supply, estimated billing and frequent outages, forcing many households and businesses to rely on costly alternatives such as generators, inverters and solar systems.
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In its Third Quarter 2025 Report, NERC disclosed that the three international customers were invoiced a total of $18.69 million by the Market Operator (MO) for electricity supplied during the period. However, they remitted only $7.125 million, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.56 million for the quarter.
In addition to the unpaid current invoices, the regulator noted that the international customers also carried legacy debts amounting to $14.7 million. Out of this amount, only $7.84 million was paid, leaving a balance of $6.23 million.
The international off-takers of Nigerian electricity include Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique of the Republic of Benin, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité of the Republic of Niger.
NERC stated that electricity supplied to the three countries was generated by grid-connected Nigerian Generation Companies (GenCos) and delivered through bilateral cross-border power arrangements.
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“The three international bilateral customers being supplied by GenCos in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) made a payment of $7.12 million against the cumulative invoice of $18.69 million issued by the Market Operator for services rendered in 2025/Q3, translating to a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent,” the report said.
This means that more than half of the electricity invoices issued to the international customers remained unpaid at the end of the quarter.
In contrast, NERC noted that domestic bilateral customers recorded significantly better payment performance. According to the report, local customers remitted ₦3.19 billion out of the ₦3.64 billion invoiced during the same period, representing a remittance rate of 87.61 per cent.
“The domestic bilateral customers made a cumulative payment of ₦3.19 billion against the invoice of ₦3.64 billion issued by the Market Operator for services rendered in the third quarter of 2025,” NERC added.
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The growing debt profile of international power customers comes at a time when Nigeria continues to struggle with inadequate electricity supply, raising questions about the sustainability and fairness of cross-border power arrangements amid domestic energy challenges.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
