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Electricity customers in Benin, Togo and Niger left $10.17 million unpaid on power invoices issued by Nigeria’s Market Operator (MO) in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
NERC said the three international bilateral customers were invoiced a combined $18.84 million for services rendered during the quarter but paid only $8.67 million, representing a remittance performance of 46.02%.
The outstanding amount adds to the payment challenges surrounding Nigeria’s cross-border electricity sales, although the international customers also made payments towards invoices that had accumulated from the first quarter.
International customers pay 46% of Q2 invoices
The three international customers supplied with electricity generated by Nigerian GenCos recorded widely different payment performances during the quarter.
- Mainstream-NIGELEC recorded the strongest performance, paying its full $5.79 million Q2 invoice.
- Paras-SBEE paid $1.73 million out of $2.46 million, representing 70.33%, while Paras-CEET paid $1.15 million out of $1.68 million, or 68.45%.
- Transcorp-SBEE made no payment against its $2.67 million Ughelli invoice or its $4.38 million Afam 3 invoice.
- Odukpani-CEET also made no payment against its $1.86 million invoice.
Overall, the international customers paid $8.67 million of the $18.84 million billed during Q2, leaving $10.17 million outstanding.
Customers also clear Q1 arrears
While Q2 invoices remained partly unpaid, the three international customers made additional payments towards outstanding Market Operator invoices from the first quarter.
- NERC said a combined $10.33 million was received during Q2 against earlier obligations.
- Société Béninoise d’Energie Electrique (SBEE) paid $7.01 million, covering $3.30 million for Ughelli, $1.94 million for Paras and $1.77 million for Afam 3.
- Paras-Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET) paid a further $1.67 million.
- Mainstream-Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (NIGELEC) paid $1.65 million.
The payments reduced some of the accumulated obligations, but NERC’s Q2 figures show that current-quarter invoices were still being settled at less than half of their billed value.
Domestic bilateral customers perform better
Domestic bilateral customers recorded a substantially higher remittance performance during the same period.
- NERC said domestic customers were billed N7.55 billion for Market Operator services in Q2 and paid N6.91 billion, representing 91.54% remittance performance.
- Mainstream/Bilateral, Zungeru/Youngxing, Mainstream/PHEDC, Mainstream/JEDC, Mabon/KEDCO and Mainstream/MBELT EKEDC recorded full payment of their Q2 invoices.
- Some customers made partial payments, including North South/Star P, Trans Amadi/FMPI, Omotosho II/Pulkit, Sapele/Phoenix and NDPHC/Orashi.
- NDPHC/Weewood, Trans Amadi/OAU, Alaoji/APLE and Taopex/KAM INT/KAM STEEL recorded no payment against their Q2 invoices.
NERC also reported that Ajaokuta Steel Co. Ltd and the host community made no payment towards N1.18 billion in NBET invoices and N171.04 million owed to the Market Operator during the quarter.
The commission said the non-payment by the special customer remains a longstanding issue and that it had communicated the need for intervention to the relevant Federal Government authorities.
Cross-border power debts remain a recurring issue
The Q2 figures follow earlier reports of unpaid electricity bills by Nigeria’s international customers.
Nairametrics reported that Benin, Togo and Niger owed Nigeria $11.16 million in electricity bills at the end of 2025.
Earlier, in August 2024, Nairametrics reported that international customers had made no payment against a $14.19 million Market Operator invoice in the first quarter of that year.
