After disconnection threat, Niger, Benin Republic pay $10m electricity bill to Nigeria

Two international customers, Benin Republic and Niger, have paid $10.1m to Nigeria to settle their electricity bill. 

This was disclosed by the market operator arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) during the August power sector stakeholders’ meeting.

The two neighbouring countries made the payments for their outstanding energy debt through their respective power companies.

NIGELEC of the Republic of Niger paid $3.79m while the Community Electric du Benin (CEB), an international electricity firm co-owned by the governments of Bénin and Togo, paid $6.32m.

Under an international treaty, Nigeria supplies power to both countries through the TCN and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc.

In June, data from the market operator showed that electricity delivered to the international customers and Ajaokuta Steel was 229,487.29MW/h, while energy delivered to bilateral customers was 95,939.31MW/h.

In July, Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, warned that Nigeria would stop supplying electricity to the international customers if they didn’t pay their bills.

“We issued disconnection notices and that is why I’m asking the NBET to go and collect your money because we have duties, obligations and international agreements with them as brother and sister nations,” the minister had said.

“But that does not mean they will not pay us if they are defaulting. So, we have issued letters to them to pay their bills, and from time to time, they pay.”