By Erewunmi Peace

Nigerians paid an estimated ₦1.13 trillion for electricity within six months in 2025, even as many households and businesses continued to experience unreliable and inadequate power supply across the country, according to data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The figure, contained in NERC’s 2025 second and third quarter reports, represents revenue collected by electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) between April and September 2025.

A breakdown of the data shows that electricity consumers paid approximately ₦564.7 billion in the second quarter (Q2) and about ₦570.3 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of the year, bringing total collections to over ₦1.13 trillion within the six-month period.
Despite the high level of revenue collection, power supply across many parts of the country remained unstable.

The period under review was marked by frequent grid collapses, low generation output, and extended blackouts, forcing households and businesses to rely heavily on generators and alternative energy sources.

NERC’s report also highlighted ongoing challenges within the power sector, including energy losses, metering gaps, infrastructure limitations, and liquidity constraints, which continue to affect service delivery.

Electricity consumers have repeatedly complained about estimated billing, poor service quality, and rising tariffs, with many questioning the value of payments made in the face of limited power availability.

Industry analysts note that while the ₦1.13 trillion figure reflects total revenue collected by DisCos — not solely household payments — it underscores persistent inefficiencies in Nigeria’s electricity supply chain and the urgent need for structural reforms.

As electricity tariffs and sector reforms remain a major national issue, the latest NERC data has renewed public debate on accountability, service improvement, and the sustainability of Nigeria’s power sector.