NBS: Despite Unstable Power, Discos Raked in N2.4tn in Six Years

James Emejo

The Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) raked in a total of N2.4 trillion as revenue between 2015 and 2020, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed.

According to the NBS, revenue generated by the DisCos in 2015 stood at N278.89 billion and rose to N303.03 billion in 2016, showing an 8.65 per cent growth rate.

Also, in 2017, revenue generated by the Discos increased by 22.25 per cent to N370.46 billion and further rose by 19.48 per cent in 2018 to N442.63 billion.

It further increased by 9.03 per cent in 2019, to N482.61 billion as well as a sustained positive growth of 9.15 per cent when N526.77 billion was collected in 2020.

The statistical agency disclosed this in its June Electricity Report which presents statistics on electricity from 2015 to 2020.

The report focuses on customer numbers, metered customers, estimated billing customers, and most importantly, electricity supply and revenue collected under the reviewed period.

In the 2020 revenue receipt, the highest collection was by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC) with N102.10 billion. It was closely followed by EKEDC with N81.39 billion while the least collection was recorded in YEDC with N10.64 billion.

Nonetheless, electricity supplied to customers during the period of the review showed an unstable trajectory.

The NBS stated that in 2015, 20,337.40 Gigawatt hours (GWh) were supplied across Nigeria. This fell by 6.36 per cent in 2016, when 19,044.30 GWh were supplied. Also, it rose in 2017 by 2.04 per cent with 19,432.39 GWh and further rose in 2018 by 10.55 per cent with 21,483.25 GWh.

In total, electricity supplied in 2019 stood at 22,450.67 GWh but declined in 2020 by 1.82 per cent when 22,042.28 GWh were supplied.

The NBS pointed out that customer numbers under the reviewed period increased successively on a year-on-year basis, with the highest numbers recorded in IBEDC.

Generally, customers’ numbers rose from 6.99 million in 2015 to 10.37 million in 2020.

Similarly, the number of metered customers increased consecutively on a year-on-year basis from 3.15 million in 2015 to 3.80 million in 2019 but declined to 3.51 million in 2020.

In 2015, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) recorded the highest number, while IBEDC stood top between 2016 and 2019 while Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) recorded the highest in 2020.

The NBS said the estimated billing customer records also showed a year-on-year positive growth rate consecutively from 3.85 million in 2015 to 6.86 million in 2020.

It added that in 2020, the customer numbers were highest in IBEDC with 1,282,136 and lowest in Eko Distribution Company (EKEDC) with 269,022.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Mr. Adeyemi Adeniran, said: “Today, with the overwhelming global demand for energy and the emphasis positioned by the Sustainable Development Goal (7) on access to energy for all places the need for statistics on electricity as a form of energy.

“Thus, electricity statistics remain a very useful tool for socio-economic planning and development, particularly for a developing economy like Nigeria. These numbers will provide an insight and shape policymaking on improving energy, specifically the electricity supply in Nigeria.”

The report further stated that the trajectory of metered customers had shown annual positive growth rates consecutively except in 2020.

In 2015, metered customers were 3.15 million and rose slightly by 0.23 per cent in 2016. This also increased in 2017 and 2018 with 3.57 million and 3.58 million customers respectively.

Metered customers in 2019 stood at 3.80 million, showing a 5.96 per cent growth rate, yet lower in 2020 when 3.51 million customers were metered.