NERC says the three international power customers paid less than half of their $18.84m second-quarter invoices, despite making additional payments towards earlier debts…..
Benin, Togo and Niger paid less than half of the electricity bills issued to them by Nigeria’s electricity Market Operator in the second quarter of 2026, leaving $10.17 million in unpaid invoices, according to data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The three international customers were billed a combined $18.84 million for electricity-related services during the April-to-June period. However, only $8.67 million was remitted, putting their collective payment performance at 46.02%.
The figures highlight the continuing difficulties surrounding Nigeria’s cross-border electricity trade, where payment delays have remained a recurring concern.
Despite the shortfall in current-quarter payments, the customers also made separate payments during the period to reduce electricity debts carried over from the first quarter.
Niger customer clears its Q2 bill as others fall short
The payment records varied considerably among the international customers.
Mainstream-NIGELEC, which supplies electricity to Niger, settled its entire $5.79 million Q2 invoice, recording the highest payment performance among the three countries.
In Togo, Paras-SBEE paid $1.73 million of its $2.46 million bill, equivalent to 70.33%. Paras-CEET also paid $1.15 million out of $1.68 million billed, representing 68.45%.
However, some of the largest invoices received no payment during the quarter.
Transcorp-SBEE did not remit any money against its $2.67 million Ughelli invoice or its $4.38 million Afam 3 invoice.
Odukpani-CEET also made no payment towards its $1.86 million Q2 invoice.
Taken together, the unpaid Q2 bills amounted to $10.17 million.
$10.33m paid towards earlier debts
The latest figures do not represent all payments made by the international customers during the quarter.
NERC said the three customers paid a further $10.33 million towards outstanding Market Operator invoices from Q1.
SBEE accounted for the largest portion of those payments, remitting $7.01 million. The amount included $3.30 million for Ughelli, $1.94 million for Paras and $1.77 million for Afam 3.
Paras-CEET made an additional payment of $1.67 million, while Mainstream-NIGELEC paid $1.65 million towards its earlier obligations.
The payments helped reduce some of the accumulated debt, although the Q2 figures show that substantial amounts continued to roll over into subsequent billing periods.
Domestic customers record stronger payment performance
The payment situation was markedly different among Nigeria’s domestic bilateral electricity customers during the same quarter.
NERC said domestic bilateral customers were invoiced N7.55 billion for Market Operator services and paid N6.91 billion, representing a remittance rate of 91.54%.
Several customers settled their Q2 obligations in full, including Mainstream/Bilateral, Zungeru/Youngxing, Mainstream/PHEDC, Mainstream/JEDC, Mabon/KEDCO and Mainstream/MBELT EKEDC.
Others made only partial payments. They included North South/Star P, Trans Amadi/FMPI, Omotosho II/Pulkit, Sapele/Phoenix and NDPHC/Orashi.
NERC also recorded customers that made no payment against their Q2 invoices, including NDPHC/Weewood, Trans Amadi/OAU, Alaoji/APLE and Taopex/KAM INT/KAM STEEL.
Ajaokuta debt adds to payment concerns
The commission also drew attention to outstanding obligations involving Ajaokuta Steel Co. Ltd and its host community.
According to NERC, the special customer made no payment towards N1.18 billion in invoices owed to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), as well as N171.04 million owed to the Market Operator.
The regulator said the issue has persisted for some time and that it had informed the relevant Federal Government authorities of the need for intervention.
Nigeria’s cross-border electricity debt persists
The latest figures add to a pattern of delayed payments by Nigeria’s international electricity customers.
Data previously reported showed that Benin, Togo and Niger had accumulated $11.16 million in unpaid electricity bills by the end of 2025.
The issue has also surfaced in previous regulatory reports. In the first quarter of 2024, international customers were reported to have made no payment against $14.19 million in Market Operator invoices.
The Q2 2026 figures therefore show that while payments towards previous debts are being made, Nigeria’s international electricity customers continue to carry significant outstanding obligations on current invoices.
For Nigeria, the payment gap is significant because electricity generated by domestic power producers and supplied across its borders still has to be matched by timely payments to sustain the commercial arrangements underpinning the regional power trade.
