Nigeria's 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have insisted that billing of end-users by estimation is normal and follows necessary methodology. However, the NERC's Key Operational and Financial Data of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) for January 2019 to September 2021 showed that of the 12,784,685 registered energy customers as at September 2021, only 4, 772,906 (37.33%) had been metered. The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) said DisCos were not forcing their marketers to 'extort' customers and give them bills that do not reflect their electricity consumption in an effort to improve revenue. ANED's Executive Director for Research and Advocacy, Sunday Oduntan, said the companies were only concerned with market 'receivables', which is the money owed to the DisCo for a service already rendered. DisCos set commercial, operations, technical and customer service targets for their staff, which are specific and based on what has been consumed. Distribution transformers are metered to show the value of electricity passed through them, and customers are allowed to contest their billing. NERC's Methodology for Estimated Billing Regulations 2012 (Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation) was introduced in 2012 to ensure energy consumed is paid for and to ensure DisCos do not issue arbitrary electricity bills. Oduntan asked customers to promptly report electricity workers demanding bribe, noting that Nigerians must help the market fish out bad eggs.
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