DisCos collected N205bn revenue in July – NERC

Electricity Distribution Companies operating across Nigeria generated a total revenue of N205.53 billion in July 2026, marking a 7.12 per cent increase from the amount collected in June, latest industry data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has revealed.

According to the commercial performance factsheet released by the power sector regulator on Thursday, the 11 distribution utilities recorded an aggregate collection efficiency of 81.95 per cent during the month under review, representing a 2.25 percentage point improvement compared to the previous month.

The report disclosed that total energy received by all 11 DisCos rose by 5.77 per cent to N333.94bn, up from the June figure. However, out of this total energy allocation, the power distributors issued bills valued at N250.79bn to electricity consumers, achieving an overall billing efficiency of 75.10 per cent, a slight drop of 1.14 percentage points from June.

On revenue recovery performance, which measures actual collection against NERC’s allowed tariff benchmarks, the industry recorded an average recovery efficiency of 74.91 per cent, up by 0.67 percentage points.

While NERC benchmarked the industry’s allowed average tariff at N130.15 per kilowatt-hour, the actual average collection realised by the power distributors stood at N97.50/kWh, leaving an unrecovered gap of N32.65 for every unit of energy distributed.

An analysis of individual utility performance showed that Eko Electricity Distribution Company posted the most remarkable performance across key metrics. Eko DisCo achieved a collection efficiency of 101.78 per cent by collecting N34.78bn out of the N34.17bn billed to its customers, a 13.14 percentage point jump from June.

EKEDC also led the nation in revenue recovery efficiency at 94.67 per cent, backed by an allowed tariff of N140.80/kWh and an actual collection rate of N133.29/kWh.

Ikeja Electric followed closely in revenue collection, retrieving N34.73bn out of a total billing of N39.54bn to record an 87.85 per cent collection efficiency. Ikeja received energy worth N53.23bn during the month, posting a billing efficiency of 74.28 per cent and a revenue recovery rate of 76.60 per cent (N105.48/kWh collected against N137.70/kWh allowed).

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company recorded the highest absolute figures for energy received (N56.77bn) and billing (N43.96bn). AEDC raked in N35.62bn in revenue, representing an 81.03 per cent collection efficiency and a 76.72 per cent recovery efficiency.

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According to NERC, Port Harcourt DisCo recorded an 82.34 per cent billing efficiency, an 84.69 per cent collection rate (N18.03bn collected), and the second-highest recovery efficiency nationally at 84.95 per cent (N105.16/kWh actual collection). Benin DisCo achieved an 89.00 per cent collection efficiency (N19.09bn collected) and a 79.15 per cent recovery efficiency.

In contrast, utilities operating in the northern regional franchises continued to struggle with severe collection deficits and structural losses, with several failing to meet NERC’s regulatory threshold. Under NERC’s evaluation matrix, a revenue recovery performance below 50 per cent is flagged in red, while scores between 50 and 80 per cent are marked in amber.

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company recorded a collection efficiency of just 49.95 per cent after recovering N5.22bn out of N10.46bn billed. Kaduna DisCo’s recovery efficiency was 39.71 per cent, collecting an actual average of just N48.36/kWh against an allowed tariff of N121.80/kWh.

Jos DisCo recorded a recovery efficiency of 46.27 per cent, retrieving N5.65bn out of N10.72bn billed (52.70 per cent collection efficiency) and collecting an average of N57.47/kWh against N124.20/kWh allowed.

Kano DisCo, despite achieving the highest billing efficiency nationwide at 85.37 per cent (billing N15.66bn out of N18.34bn received), struggled with collections. KEDCO gathered N8.26bn, resulting in a collection efficiency of 52.79 per cent and an amber-rated recovery efficiency of 55.41 per cent.

Yola DisCo recorded the lowest energy receipt nationwide at N6.14bn and a billing efficiency of 61.55 per cent (N3.77bn billed). However, Yola showed significant collection traction, retrieving N3.36bn for an 88.92 per cent collection efficiency—a sharp growth of 20.34 percentage points compared to June—and achieving a 78.24 per cent recovery rate.

Ibadan DisCo received N40.17bn worth of energy, billed N28.33bn (70.52 per cent billing efficiency), and collected N24.35bn, translating to an 85.97 per cent collection efficiency and a 74.59 per cent recovery rate.

Industry experts have repeatedly linked the stark performance divergence between southern and northern franchises to historical metering gaps, widespread electricity theft, non-commensurate feeder collection, and socio-economic realities affecting consumer payment compliance.