According to the most recent monthly count of overbilled customers, it appears that power distribution companies have overcharged approximately 7.1 million customers without electricity meters between January and September 2023.
In the different measures taken by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, a government agency, to address the issue of excessive billing of unmetered customers by the 11 power distribution companies (Discos), it was discovered that these companies collectively earned more than N105 billion through overcharging.
Yola Disco overbilled about 42,902 customers to the tune of N541.9m.
Abuja Disco overbilled 1,823,218 customers by N17.9bn.
Benin Disco overbilled 754,849 customers underestimated billing by N10.5bn.
Enugu Disco overbilled a total of 1,011,402 customers to the tune of N11.9bn during the nine-month period.
Between January and June 2023, a total of 371,828 customers under the estimated billing category were inaccurately billed by Eko Disco. It should be noted that the report released by NERC did not include the months of July, August, and September. The extent of the overbilling for these customers amounted to N14.13bn.
Ibadan Disco made N333.68m from the overbilling of 143,465 customers.
Jos Disco overbilled 1,264,537 customers to the tune of N13.3bn.
Ikeja Disco overbilled 934,438 customers by N20.9bn.
Kaduna raked in N1.14bn from the overbilling of 126,071.
Kano Discos overbilled 71,120 customers by N196.97m.
Between January and June, the Port Harcourt Disco inaccurately charged 605,621 customers a total of N14.2bn. It should be noted that the number of overcharged customers in July, August, and September was not included.
On Saturday, it was announced that the power sector regulator intends to reduce the annual allowed revenues of the 11 power distribution companies by N10,505,286,072 during the upcoming tariff review. This decision comes as a result of their failure to comply with the limit on estimated bills for customers without meters.
NERC emphasised that the power companies, within their respective franchise areas, have failed to adhere to the monthly energy limits set by the commission when invoicing customers without meters for the year 2023.
