The total electricity debt owed to Distribution companies Discos by Ministries Departments Agencies and parastatals MDAs as at April ending, 2016 is (78,676,366,684.22) N78.6 billion, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors ANED has revealed.
In its break down, the total electricity owed by the Nigerian Military, comprising the Army, Navy and Airforce is put at (22,481,015,977.51) approximately N2.7 billion.
Speaking in an interview with selected Journalists in Abuja at the weekend, the Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors ANED, Barr. Sunday Oduntan said the total figures are only for April.
“As at the end of April today is the sixth day of May, they have owed me another six days which have been millions so the one I am just going to give you is at the end of April”. He said.
According to him, out of the eleven Distribution companies, Abuja Disco owes the highest of N18.6 billion while Kano has the lowest of N1.2 billion.
Other breakdowns are:” Benin Discos N5.8 billion, Eko N8.6 billion, Enugu N7.2 billion, Ibadan 6.8 billion, Ikeja N5.9 billion, Jos 6.5 billion, Kaduna N8.2 billion, Port Harcourt N6.8 billion, Yola N2.4 billion.
While explaining reasons why Nigerians pay more on electricity, he said there have always been energy theft and massive bypasses on the part of customers on prepaid meter.
He explained that in this case, customers on estimated billing end up paying heavily for these bypasses.
His words;”where we have problems and contentions I must say is the fact that we have many customers who are on estimated billing and the bad thing about estimated billing is about accuracy, fairness and how equitable it is. We have what we call estimated billing methodology which is the guideline handed over to us by NERC and that is what we follow.
“Where things go a bit wrong in this country is where you have estimated billing in your own house, your neighbour has a prepaid meter but your neighbour keeps on bypassing his meter, the Disco is not aware and if we don’t know there is nothing we can do and the neighbour with estimated billing is the one paying for his bypasses.

Source: Tribune