No fewer than three African countries including Benin, Togo and Niger Republic are indebted to Nigeria for a total of N132.2 billion for the electricity supplied to them from 2018 to the first quarter of 2023.
Analysis of quarterly reports produced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) indicated that the amount owed is from the N180.8 billion billed to the customers from which they paid N48.57 billion, representing just 26.8 per cent.
The breakdown of the figure showed that Benin topped the debtors list with a bill to the tune of N72.1 billion through its Société Beninoise d’Energie Electrique (SBEE), followed by Niger Republic with N31.3 billion through its Société Nigerienne d’electricite (NIGELEC) and Togo with N10.03 billion through its Companie Energie Electrique Du Togo.
On a year-on-year analysis, the countries paid N650 million from the N47.25 billion given to them, while in 2019, they failed to pay any amount from the N40.6 billion.
In 2020, N10.4 billion was paid from N19.7 billion, while in 2022, they paid N32.7 billion from N52.02 billion. In Q3 2021, the companies paid N4.7 billion from the N8.76 billion bills given, while in the first quarter of 2023, the companies did not pay N12.3 billion bills.
Kayemo news reports that most parts of Nigeria lack adequate supply of electricity, while some have been in total darkness for period ranging between five to 10 years.
