Benin Republic, Togo and Niger left $10.17 million unpaid on electricity invoices issued by Nigeria during the second quarter of 2026, highlighting continuing payment challenges in Nigeria’s regional power trade.
The three countries were billed a combined $17.48 million for electricity supplied during the quarter but remitted only $7.31 million, representing a payment performance of about 41.8 per cent.
The figures are contained in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s second-quarter 2026 report, released on September 29. The report covers the operational and commercial performance of Nigeria’s electricity market.
The payment shortfall comes as Nigeria continues to supply electricity to neighbouring countries through bilateral arrangements involving Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique, Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité.
The latest data points to persistent liquidity challenges in Nigeria’s electricity market, where weak payment collection can affect the revenue available to power producers and other market participants.
The issue is not new. In the first quarter of 2026, the three international customers paid only $4.82 million against invoices of $17.48 million, according to industry data.
The continuing arrears underscore the importance of stronger payment guarantees and settlement mechanisms as Nigeria seeks to expand electricity exports and deepen regional power integration.
Leave a comment