Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos) generated a combined ₦801.16 billion in revenue during the first four months of 2026, underscoring the sector’s ability to sustain collections despite prolonged power shortages and repeated national grid disruptions.
According to the latest commercial performance factsheets released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the country’s 11 electricity distribution companies billed customers ₦1.01 trillion between January and April 2026 and recovered ₦801.16 billion, translating to an overall collection efficiency of nearly 79%.
The data showed relatively stable monthly collections throughout the period, with DisCos recovering ₦204.74 billion in January, ₦196.68 billion in February, ₦196.13 billion in March, and ₦203.61 billion in April. However, approximately ₦207.77 billion remained uncollected, highlighting persistent challenges including inadequate metering, electricity theft, disputed bills, and delayed customer payments.
The revenue performance comes against the backdrop of one of the power sector’s most difficult operating periods in recent years. During the review period, recurring gas supply shortages significantly constrained electricity generation, forcing the national grid to shed load repeatedly. Available generation capacity fell below 2,000 megawatts on several occasions, leaving millions of households and businesses without reliable electricity.
The widespread outages intensified criticism from manufacturers, commercial users and residential consumers, many of whom continue to question the value received under Nigeria’s evolving electricity tariff structure. Frequent blackouts have also increased reliance on costly diesel and petrol generators, raising operating expenses for businesses and adding pressure to already high inflation.
Performance across the distribution companies varied considerably. Eko DisCo emerged as the strongest performer, posting a 102.09% collection efficiency in April by recovering more revenue than it billed, likely reflecting payments of outstanding customer debts. It was followed by Port Harcourt, Abuja, Ikeja, and Benin DisCos, all of which recorded comparatively strong collection rates.
Conversely, Kaduna DisCo recorded the weakest performance with a collection efficiency of 43.15%, while Kano and Jos DisCos posted 51.87% and 52.48%, respectively. The sharp regional disparities underscore the uneven financial health of Nigeria’s electricity distribution network and the differing operational challenges facing individual utilities.
Industry experts say the figures present a mixed picture for investors and policymakers. While robust collections have improved cash flow for some operators, the persistent gap between revenue generation and reliable electricity supply continues to threaten public confidence in the sector. Analysts argue that without sustained investments in gas infrastructure, transmission capacity and grid reliability, improving collections alone will not deliver the stable electricity supply needed to support Nigeria’s economic growth.
