Nigerian power consumers are reeling from the impact of massive overbilling, with power distribution companies (Discos) collectively raking in N105 billion in nine months.
An analysis of the latest monthly data from January to September 2023 revealed that approximately 7.1 million unmetered electricity consumers across the nation fell victim to inflated bills.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the federal agency overseeing the power sector, disclosed that the overbilling stemmed from the failure of Discos to adhere to the prescribed monthly energy caps for unmetered customers.
The overbilling issue has raised serious concerns about the financial burden on consumers and the credibility of the power distribution system.
A breakdown of the figures showed that various Discos were involved in overbilling activities, with significant discrepancies noted in the amounts charged against the estimated energy consumption.
For instance, Abuja Disco overbilled approximately 1.8 million customers by N17.9 billion, while Ikeja Disco charged 934,438 customers an excess of N20.9 billion during the review period.
The overbilling trend has prompted a swift response from NERC, which has vowed to take punitive measures against non-compliant Discos.
As part of its regulatory intervention, NERC announced plans to deduct N10.5 billion from the annual allowed revenues of the 11 Discos during the next tariff review.
Consumers, already grappling with the economic challenges, have expressed outrage over the overbilling saga.
Many have voiced concerns about the impact of excessive bills on their household budgets, calling for urgent measures to address the issue and restore transparency and fairness to electricity billing practices.