As per Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), The Republic of Togo, Niger and Benin owes the country a total of 29.97 billion naira for the electricity supplied to them for the period of 9 months (Jan – Sep,2019).

Nigeria, through its electricity transmission company, supplies power to these countries, which are classified as international customers in the Nigerian power sector.

A breakdown of the debt showed that Niger’s power firm, Societe Nigerienne d’electricite, failed to pay a total invoice of 3.01 billion naira it received in the first quarter of 2019; 3.69 billion naira in Q2; and 4.1 billion naira in Q3.

Communaute Electrique du Benin, a power firm owned by Togo and Benin, did not pay 9.74 billion naira for the power supplied to it in Q1; 7.16 billion naira in Q2; and 2.27 billion naira in Q3.

NERC said in its latest quarterly report released on Friday that the international customers made no payment for the total outstanding debt in Q3.

“The Nigerian government has continued to engage the governments of neighbouring countries benefitting from the export supply to ensure timely payments for the electricity purchased from Nigeria”, it said.

The regulator said the financial viability and commercial performance of the Nigerian electricity supply industry continued to be a major challenge.