The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has revealed that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) across the country received 254,404 customer complaints in the first quarter of 2025, with most grievances centred on faulty metering, billing discrepancies, and erratic supply.
In its newly released Q1 report, NERC noted that while the complaint volume represents a 7.72% decline from the 275,681 cases recorded in Q4 2024, core issues remain unresolved. Metering alone accounted for 42.84% of all complaints, followed by billing (12.27%) and service interruptions (7.66%).
Port Harcourt DisCo topped the complaint chart with 57,843 cases—22.7% of the national total—while Yola DisCo recorded the fewest at 2,495. Abuja DisCo saw the sharpest drop in customer complaints, falling by 74% compared to the previous quarter.
The report also highlighted that Kano DisCo experienced the highest surge in complaints, with an 86% increase. Other DisCos with rising cases include Kaduna, Yola, Aba Power, and Ikeja. In contrast, Abuja, Benin, and Jos DisCos recorded notable declines.
Billing disputes led to customer refunds amounting to N32.2 billion, credited after overbilling claims were verified. Kano and Eko DisCos had the highest metering-related complaints, while Ibadan and Port Harcourt topped the list for unresolved issues categorised as “Others.”
NERC affirmed its commitment to customer protection, noting that complaint resolution and bill adjustments remain central to its regulatory oversight. The agency also pledged to enforce improved service delivery across all 11 DisCos.
Despite persistent outages and power supply challenges, the DisCos reportedly generated N553.63 billion in revenue during the quarter, underscoring a growing disparity between service quality and customer satisfaction.
