The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued a warning to electricity consumers, advising them against paying for the replacement of faulty or obsolete meters.
According to NERC, it is the responsibility of electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to replace meters, and consumers should not bear any costs for replacements unless the meter was tampered with.
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In a statement released on Monday, NERC clarified that, as long as the meters were not altered by the consumers, the utilities were obligated to replace them at no charge.
NERC’s data revealed that by the end of the second quarter of 2024, 45 percent, or approximately 5.99 million, of the 13.19 million customers in the industry were metered. This left over seven million customers subject to estimated billing, a situation NERC is seeking to address.
The Commission expressed concern over reports that some DisCos had instructed customers to apply and pay for the replacement of faulty and outdated meters within their service areas. NERC emphasized that such actions were in violation of its Order No. NERC/246/2021, which mandates that no customer with a meter should be forced onto estimated billing.
The order also states that if a customer’s meter is deemed faulty or obsolete by a DisCo, it is the DisCo’s responsibility to replace the meter at no cost, provided the fault was not caused by the consumer.
“NERC restates its commitment to protecting customers’ rights and interests by ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and taking action against non-compliant DisCos,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Association for Public Policy Analysis (APPA), a consumer advocacy group, has called for an investigation into how DisCos utilized the N200 billion Mass Metering Fund provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In a statement by its President, Chief Princewill Okorie, the group expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in the implementation of the National Mass Metering Programme, which was intended to address the widespread issue of estimated billing.
“Our research has revealed that a seed capital of N200 billion was invested to facilitate the program in three phases. However, despite over N59 billion being allocated for the pilot phase, we are yet to see substantial results,” Okorie said.
The group has urged the House of Representatives Committee on Banking Regulations to ensure that the findings of their investigation address the challenges faced by consumers in the electricity sector. Okorie also questioned the status of the National Mass Metering Program, which had been announced prior to the Minister of Power’s tenure.
“There is a need for evaluation of the successes or failures of these earlier policies, as both consumers and the government have already invested significant amounts of money,” Okorie added. The group is calling for thorough oversight and legislative action to address ongoing issues with metering in the country.
