A new pattern of complaints has emerged among Nigerian electricity consumers, with metering challenges accounting for the largest share of grievances in 2025.

This marks a shift from the previously dominant complaints about the high cost of estimated billing, which had been the most prevalent issue among consumers in recent years.

This came as Nigerians lodged a total of 708,677 complaints against power distribution companies during the year, according to findings from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s 2025 industry report.

The report showed that complaints relating to metering issues peaked at 47.69 per cent, reflecting growing concerns over estimated billing and delays in meter provision.

An analysis of the report revealed that metering, billing, and service interruptions remained the top three drivers of complaints across all four quarters, jointly accounting for as much as 75.57 per cent of total cases in some periods.

Electricity consumer complaints dropped sharply in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to the industry data.

A breakdown of 2024 figures shows that total complaints stood at 1,236,213, based on quarterly submissions of 291,380 in Q1, 287,441 in Q2, and 328,696 each in Q3 and Q4.

However, this declined significantly to 708,677 complaints recorded in 2025, representing a decrease of 527,536 complaints year-on-year.

“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 data showed that 254,404 complaints were recorded in the first quarter, followed by 227,267 in the second quarter, 168,033 in the third quarter, and a sharp drop to 58,973 in the fourth quarter.

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 the first quarter, metering issues accounted for 42.84 per cent of the 254,404 complaints, while billing disputes made up 12.27 per cent and service interruptions 7.66 per cent. Together, these categories represented 62.77 per cent of total complaints.

The trend intensified in the second quarter, where metering complaints rose to 47.69 per cent, billing surged to 19.31 per cent, and service interruptions stood at 8.57 per cent, bringing the combined share to 75.57 per cent, the highest recorded in the year.

By the third quarter, metering complaints slightly declined to 43.18 per cent, while billing increased further to 20.93 per cent, and service interruptions stood at 8.62 per cent, accounting for a combined 72.73 per cent of the 168,033 complaints recorded.

In the fourth quarter, metering remained dominant at 43.89 per cent, billing dropped to 14.14 per cent, while service interruptions continued to rank among the top issues, with the three categories jointly accounting for 69.14 per cent of complaints.

The commission explained that electricity distribution companies serve as the first point of contact for aggrieved 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 both 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 led in the third quarter with 40,520 complaints, representing 24.11 per cent, while Kano DisCo recorded the highest in the fourth quarter with 21,546 complaints, accounting for 36.53 per cent. Conversely, Yola DisCo consistently recorded the lowest number of complaints across the quarters.

The report noted that the overall decline in complaint volumes during the year, particularly the sharp 63.05 per cent drop in the fourth quarter, was largely due to changes in reporting methodology.

“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 reduction in total complaint numbers, the persistence of metering and billing issues highlights ongoing structural challenges in Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector.

Industry experts say the dominance of metering complaints reflects the slow pace of meter deployment nationwide, leaving millions of customers on estimated billing, which often leads to disputes. They added that frequent service interruptions, coupled with billing concerns, continue to erode consumer confidence in the power sector.

The Electricity Act 2023 empowers the commission to establish and enforce customer complaint handling procedures within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

Electricity distribution companies are required to maintain Customer Complaint Units to address consumer grievances, while the regulator monitors performance through monthly reports.

However, Nigeria’s power sector continues to grapple with metering gaps, infrastructure deficits, and liquidity constraints, which have contributed to persistent consumer dissatisfaction despite ongoing reforms.