The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially announced an immediate ban on charging electricity consumers for the installation of prepaid meters.
This directive ensures that all Distribution Companies (DisCos) provide meters to customers without upfront costs or hidden charges.
The move is part of the government’s commitment to ending estimated billing and ensuring transparency within the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
No consumer shall be required to pay for the installation of a prepaid meter under any approved government metering scheme.
Any DisCo or agent found demanding payment for meters or installation services will face severe regulatory sanctions.
For schemes where meters were previously purchased by consumers (such as MAP), DisCos are mandated to complete the reimbursement through energy credits as stipulated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“The era of consumers paying for assets that belong to the distribution networks is over,” stated the Ministry of Power. “This policy is designed to protect Nigerians from exploitation and to fast-track the closing of the metering gap nationwide.”
The Federal Government encourages consumers to report any DisCo officials demanding payment for meters to the NERC Contact Center or their respective consumer protection outlets.
