Niger currently owes Nigeria N4.22bn ($5.48m: $/N769.27 exchange rate) for power supply; the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s just released first quarter report has stated.
According to the report, Niger’s state power firm, Nigerien Electricity Society, was yet to remit the $5.48m invoice issued for power supply by the Nigerian market operator.
“None of the underlisted international customers made any payment against the cumulative $16.11m invoice issued to them in 2023/Q1; Paras-SBEE ($3.4m), Transcorp-SBEE ($3.85 million), Mainstream-NIGELEC ($5.48m) and Odukpani-CEET ($3.32 million).
“Out of N842.38m invoice issued by MO to all the eight (8) bilateral customers in the NESI, only North-South/Star Pipe made a remittance of N15.38m against its invoice of N24.69m,” it stated.
The NERC mandated the Market Operator to invoke the provision of the market rules to curtail the payment indiscipline being exhibited by the various market participants.
Last week, ECOWAS, led by President Bola Tinubu, decided on sanctions against the military personnel in Niger, who toppled President-elect Mohamed Bazoum in a coup d’état.
NIGELEC is under contract with a power firm in Nigeria, Mainstream Energy, for the supply of electricity.
Nigeria also exports electricity to the Republics of Benin and Niger based on various Transaction Service Agreements.
“Nigeria disconnected since Tuesday (last week) the high voltage line that carries electricity to Niger,” a report by AFP said, quoting industry sources through local production.
