Improved complaint resolution offers hope, but persistent billing issues, metering gaps, and outages continue to frustrate electricity users nationwide……
Nigeria’s electricity regulator disbursed a total of ₦155.84 million in refunds to consumers in 2025, following a wave of verified complaints linked largely to overbilling and service-related disputes across the country.
The payments, made in phases throughout the year, reflect growing regulatory pressure on electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to address consumer grievances and correct billing irregularities.
A breakdown of the figures shows a steady pattern of intervention: ₦32.21 million was refunded in the first quarter, followed by ₦40.22 million in the second. The third quarter saw ₦32.66 million returned to customers, while the final quarter recorded the highest payout at ₦50.75 million.
These refunds stemmed from complaints processed through the regulator’s Customer Complaint Unit, a platform established under recent power sector reforms to strengthen consumer protection and enforce accountability among service providers.
Despite these interventions, billing disputes remained the most common trigger for complaints throughout the year, accounting for between 29 and 37 percent of all reported cases. Metering challenges and service interruptions followed closely, meaning that more than four out of every five complaints were tied to just three recurring issues.
The year began on a weak note in terms of dispute resolution. In the first quarter, only 1,554 of the 4,169 complaints received were resolved, translating to a resolution rate of just 37.27 percent. The figure highlighted longstanding inefficiencies in how customer issues were handled.
However, performance improved significantly as the year progressed. By the second quarter, resolution rates climbed to 45.63 percent, before rising further to 62.30 percent in the third quarter. By year-end, nearly four out of every five complaints were successfully resolved, with a resolution rate of 76.96 percent in the fourth quarter.
Some distribution companies even achieved perfect resolution records during this period, signaling what regulators describe as the impact of closer monitoring and enforcement measures.
At the same time, the total number of complaints dropped sharply over the course of the year from 4,169 in the first quarter to just 829 in the fourth. While this might suggest improving service conditions, regulators say the decline is largely due to structural changes in the sector.
With more states taking control of their electricity markets under new legislation, complaints are increasingly being handled at the state level rather than through federal channels. This decentralisation has reduced the volume of cases recorded centrally, rather than eliminating the underlying issues.
Performance across distribution companies also remained uneven. Customers in some major franchise areas continued to account for a disproportionate share of complaints, pointing to persistent service and billing challenges. In contrast, other operators reported fewer issues, although differences in customer base and reporting systems may partly explain the gap.
Nigeria’s electricity sector has long been plagued by estimated billing, inadequate metering, and unreliable supply issues that continue to strain the relationship between providers and consumers.
While the total refund amount may appear modest relative to the size of the industry, it signals a shift toward greater accountability. More importantly, the steady improvement in complaint resolution suggests that regulatory enforcement is beginning to produce tangible results.
Even so, the broader challenges remain unresolved. For millions of consumers, disputes over bills, access to meters, and inconsistent power supply are still part of everyday life.
As reforms continue to reshape the sector, the real test will be whether these early gains translate into lasting improvements in service delivery and, ultimately, restore public confidence in Nigeria’s power industry.
