Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) generated a combined N801.16bn in revenue from Nigerian electricity consumers between January and April 2026, despite months of widespread blackouts, unstable power supply and mounting complaints over poor service delivery.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission showed that the 11 electricity distribution firms billed consumers N1.01tn during the four-month period but recovered N801.16bn, leaving an outstanding N207.77bn in unpaid electricity bills.
The regulator’s commercial performance reports indicated that the DisCos collected N204.74bn in January, N196.68bn in February, N196.13bn in March and N203.61bn in April.
The strong revenue performance came even as households and businesses endured prolonged electricity shortages triggered largely by inadequate gas supply to thermal power plants, resulting in reduced electricity generation and extensive load shedding nationwide.
According to the NERC reports, DisCos billed customers N268.20bn in January and recovered N204.74bn, leaving N63.46bn outstanding. In February, billings dropped to N242.29bn, while collections stood at N196.68bn, leaving N45.61bn unpaid.
In March, consumers were billed N246.43bn, with the companies recovering N196.13bn, while N50.30bn remained outstanding. April recorded billings of N252.43bn and collections of N203.61bn, leaving another N48.82bn unrecovered.
The reports also highlighted persistent commercial losses, with significant volumes of electricity supplied to the distribution companies remaining unbilled due to metering deficiencies and operational inefficiencies.
Among the utilities, Eko Electricity Distribution Company recorded one of the strongest performances, posting a revenue recovery efficiency of 102.09 per cent in April. Port Harcourt, Abuja, Ikeja and Benin DisCos also achieved recovery efficiencies above 85 per cent.
However, Kaduna, Kano and Jos DisCos remained the weakest performers, recording recovery efficiencies of 43.15 per cent, 51.87 per cent and 52.48 per cent, respectively.
The revenue figures coincided with a severe decline in electricity generation during the first quarter of the year, when gas shortages forced several thermal power plants to shut down or scale back operations.
Industry data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator showed that thermal plants required about 1.63 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day to operate optimally.
However, by February 23, they received only about 692 million standard cubic feet daily—less than 43 per cent of the required volume.
The generation shortfall saw national electricity output plunge from about 4,000 megawatts to below 2,000MW at some points, forcing the Transmission Company of Nigeria to ration available electricity to distribution companies.
Despite a gradual improvement in power supply towards the end of April, consumers have continued to protest high electricity tariffs, estimated billing and unreliable service.
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