The Federal Government has prohibited electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and meter installers from charging consumers for meter installation, warning that any official caught demanding payment will be prosecuted.
The directive was issued by the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, on Thursday during an inspection of a new consignment of smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos.
The meters were procured under the World Bank–supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) to address Nigeria’s longstanding metering deficit and improve efficiency in the power sector.
Adelabu stressed that the meters are to be installed at no cost to consumers nationwide, describing any form of payment demand as illegal.
He warned that both DisCo officials and third-party installers involved in extortion would face legal consequences.
According to the minister, the ongoing DISREP initiative targets the importation of about 3.4 million meters in two phases.
He disclosed that the first batch consists of 1.43 million units, nearly one million of which have already arrived in the country.
About 150,000 meters, he added, have been installed across the 11 distribution companies, while an additional 500,000 units were received recently.
Adelabu said the deployment of smart meters marks the beginning of a sustained effort to close Nigeria’s metering gap, noting that full metering would enhance transparency, boost consumer confidence, and improve revenue flow within the electricity value chain.
He assured Nigerians that the government would actively monitor the installation process and encouraged consumers to report any cases of extortion.
To this end, he announced plans to establish a dedicated complaint desk, where reports would be investigated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in collaboration with state electricity regulators.
The minister stated that confirmed cases of illegal charges would result in prosecution, regardless of the rank of those involved, adding that such actions would be made public to discourage similar practices.
Adelabu also clarified that the free metering initiative covers all categories of electricity consumers, dismissing concerns that it would be limited to specific tariff bands.
He explained that while the Band A, B, and C classifications are part of a phased reform strategy, the meters will be distributed to all electricity users without discrimination.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, said the bureau coordinates the DISREP programme and supervises the boards of all electricity distribution companies.
He revealed that NERC would soon issue new guidelines outlining mandatory procedures DisCos must follow to ensure seamless meter installations.
Gbeleyi noted that monitoring tools and performance dashboards are already in place to track deployment progress and ensure compliance across the sector.
Also speaking, Chairman of Mojec International, Mrs. Mojisola Abdul, confirmed that the meters are being installed free of charge and urged consumers not to give money to anyone.
She disclosed that nearly 150,000 meters have already been deployed and announced the introduction of a mobile registration system designed to accelerate installations.
Under the new arrangement, she said, consumers who successfully register would receive their meters within three days.
Adelabu acknowledged the challenges that plagued previous metering efforts, including limited supply and payment requirements, but assured that the current programme has addressed those issues.
He said the increased volume of meters and the zero-cost policy would eliminate past complications.
The minister also inspected the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, where the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency conducts quality and compliance tests on meters before deployment.
Nigeria currently has more than five million electricity consumers still subjected to estimated billing.
INN-HOUSE☆ 