DISCOs flaunt FG directives as number of estimated customers rises to 5.91mn

Efforts by the Federal Government (FG) to ensure electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) install pre-meters in all homes in the country have been put on the reverse , as the numbers of customers on estimated billing have increased to 5.91 million as at the third quarter of last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBA).
This, observers attributed to the rising level of corruption within the DISCOs. According to customers, they prefer customers to be on estimated billing, as this will give room to bill customers unnecessarily high bills, what is normally referred to as crazy bills.
Also, they said, being on estimated billing will allow room marketers to collect bribe from customers so as not to cut their light when they are unable to pay their bills.
The government had said the pre-paid meters are free, but DISCOs make it extremely difficult and expensive to purchase one.
According to the NBS, estimated customers stood at 5.91 million in the third quarter of 2022, higher by 1.09 per cent from 5.85 million recorded in the second quarter of 2022.
Although, the bureau’s report said on a year-on-year basis, estimated customers declined by 6.38 per cent in Q3 2022 from 6.32 million recorded in the third quarter of 2021, however,
revenue collected by the DisCos during the period stood at N202.62 billion in the third quarter of 2022 from N188.41 billion in the second quarter of 2022, indicating a rise of 7.54 per cent.
The report said on a year-on-year basis, revenue generated rose by 5.56 per cent from N191.95 billion in the third quarter of 2021.
It said electricity supply in the third quarter 2022 stood at 5,024 (Gwh) from 5,227 (Gwh) in the second quarter of 2022.
The report said on a year-on-year basis, electricity supply declined by 8.53 per cent compared to 5,493 (Gwh) reported in the third quarter of 2021.
The NBS said the total customer numbers in the fourth quarter of 2022 stood at 11.06 million from 10.94 million recorded in the third quarter of 2022, thus showing an increase of 1.10 per cent.
“On a year-on-year basis, the number of customers in the fourth quarter of 2022 increased by 5.17 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2021 recorded at 10.51 million. ”
The report said metered customers in Q4 2022 stood at 5.13 million from the 5.02 million customers recorded in the third quarter of 2022, this indicated a 2.00 per cent growth rate.
“Nevertheless, on a year-on-year basis, this grew by 7.37 per cent from the 4.77 million customers recorded in the third of 2021.”
The report said the number of estimated billing customers was 5.93 million in Q4 2022, which was higher by 0.34 per cent from the 5.91 million reported in the third quarter of 2022.
“On a year-on-year basis, this rose by 3.34 pe4 cent in the fourth quarter of 2022 from the figure reported in the fourth quarter of 2021.”
The report said N232.32 billion was generated by the DisCos in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to N202.62 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2022.
It said on a year-on-year basis, revenue collected rose by 16.02 percent from N200.23 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The report said electricity supply in the fourth quarter of 2022 stood at 5,611 (Gwh) from 5,024 (Gwh) in Q3 2022, which showed a rise of 11.68 per cent.
”On a year-on-year basis, electricity supply declined by 3.48 per cent compared to Q4 for 2021.”
The NBS, said the number of DisCos customers in Nigeria increased from 10.81 million in the second quarter of 2022 to 10.94 million in third quarter of 2022.
According to the NBS Nigeria Electricity Report for the third quarter and fourth quarter of 2022 released in Abuja on Monday, the figure showed an increase of 1.20 per cent.
The report focuses on energy billed, revenue generated and customers by DISCOS under the reviewed period.
The report said on a year-on-year basis, customer numbers in Q3 2022 declined by 1.19 per cent from Q3 2021 recorded at 11.07 million.
“In the third quarter of 2022, the number of metered customers stood at 5.02 million from 4.96 million in Q2 2022, this indicated a 1.33 per cent increase.

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