ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-A new trend has emerged among Nigerian electricity consumers, with metering issues now accounting for the highest number of complaints in 2025.
This represents a shift from previous years when complaints about the high cost of estimated billing dominated consumer concerns.
The development comes as Nigerians filed a total of 708,677 complaints against power distribution companies during the year, according to data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s 2025 industry report.
The report indicated that metering-related complaints accounted for 47.69 per cent, highlighting growing dissatisfaction over estimated billing practices and delays in meter installation.
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Further analysis showed that metering, billing, and service interruptions remained the top three causes of complaints across all four quarters, jointly making up as much as 75.57 per cent of total cases during some periods.
Despite this, overall complaints declined significantly in 2025 compared to 2024. Data for 2024 showed a total of 1,236,213 complaints, based on quarterly figures of 291,380 in Q1, 287,441 in Q2, and 328,696 each in Q3 and Q4.
This dropped to 708,677 complaints in 2025, representing a year-on-year decrease of 527,536 cases.
“The significant decrease in the number of complaints reported to have been filed at the DisCo-CCUs during the quarter is because the Commission has discontinued reporting of customer complaints in States that have established State Electricity Regulatory Agencies,” the report stated.
Quarterly figures for 2025 showed 254,404 complaints in Q1, 227,267 in Q2, 168,033 in Q3, and a sharp drop to 58,973 in Q4.
The report stated that, “The most common issues among complaints received by DisCos in 2025 were metering, billing, and service interruptions, which cumulatively accounted for the majority of complaints in each quarter under review.”
In Q1, metering issues accounted for 42.84 per cent of complaints, while billing made up 12.27 per cent and service interruptions 7.66 per cent, bringing the combined share to 62.77 per cent.
In Q2, metering complaints rose to 47.69 per cent, billing increased to 19.31 per cent, and service interruptions stood at 8.57 per cent, pushing the combined share to 75.57 per cent—the highest recorded during the year.
By Q3, metering complaints slightly declined to 43.18 per cent, while billing rose further to 20.93 per cent and service interruptions stood at 8.62 per cent, accounting for 72.73 per cent of complaints.
In Q4, metering remained the leading issue at 43.89 per cent, while billing dropped to 14.14 per cent, with the three categories collectively making up 69.14 per cent of complaints.
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The commission explained that electricity distribution companies serve as the first point of contact for customers through their Customer Complaint Units.
It said, “In furtherance of its mandate under Section 119(1)(c) of the Electricity Act 2023, the Commission provides channels for customers to lodge complaints, with DisCo Customer Complaint Units serving as the primary interface for resolution.”
According to the report, Port Harcourt Distribution Company recorded the highest number of complaints in the first and second quarters, with 57,843 cases (22.74 per cent) in Q1 and 44,012 cases (19.37 per cent) in Q2.
Ibadan DisCo recorded the highest complaints in Q3 with 40,520 cases (24.11 per cent), while Kano DisCo led in Q4 with 21,546 complaints (36.53 per cent). In contrast, Yola DisCo consistently recorded the lowest complaints across all quarters.
The report noted that the overall drop in complaint numbers, particularly the sharp 63.05 per cent decline in Q4, was largely due to changes in reporting methods.
“The significant decrease in the number of complaints reported in Q4 is because the Commission has discontinued reporting of customer complaints in states that have established State Electricity Regulatory Agencies,” it stated.
Despite the decline in total complaints, the persistence of metering and billing issues points to ongoing structural challenges in Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector.
Industry experts say the dominance of metering complaints reflects the slow pace of meter rollout nationwide, leaving many consumers on estimated billing, which often leads to disputes.
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They added that frequent service interruptions, alongside billing concerns, continue to weaken consumer confidence in the power sector.
The Electricity Act 2023 gives the commission the authority to establish and enforce procedures for handling customer complaints within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
Distribution companies are required to operate Customer Complaint Units to address grievances, while the regulator monitors their performance through regular reports.
However, Nigeria’s power sector continues to face challenges such as metering gaps, infrastructure deficits, and liquidity constraints, which have contributed to ongoing consumer dissatisfaction despite reforms.