The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reminded consumers that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are responsible for replacing faulty or obsolete meters at no cost.
This directive, reiterated in a statement on Monday, aims to protect customers from illegal charges for meter replacements. NERC’s data indicates that 45% of customers are metered, leaving over 7 million subjected to estimated billing.
Some DisCos have reportedly instructed consumers to pay for meter replacements, which contravenes Order No. NERC/246/2021 on the structured replacement of customer meters.
“No customer should be forced to accept estimated billing when their meter is faulty due to no fault of their own,” NERC stated. The Commission pledged to enforce penalties against non-compliant DisCos.
Meanwhile, the Association for Public Policy Analysis has called for an investigation into the N200 billion Mass Metering Fund provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The group questioned how funds allocated for the National Mass Metering Programme, including N59 billion for its pilot phase, were utilized and urged legislative oversight.
