The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights of electricity consumers by warning Distribution Companies (DisCos) against imposing estimated billing on customers with faulty meters.
In a statement issued on Monday, November 18, NERC described such actions as a breach of its regulations and customer rights.
The regulatory body expressed concern over reports of DisCos allegedly pressuring customers to apply and pay for the replacement of defective or outdated meters within their service areas. NERC emphasized that these practices contravene its directives, highlighting that it is the responsibility of DisCos to ensure meters are functional and accurately record energy consumption without shifting the burden to consumers.
“The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is aware that some Distribution Companies (DisCos) have instructed customers to apply and pay for the replacement of faulty and obsolete meters within their franchise areas,” the statement read.
The commission highlighted that this practice goes against its Order No. NERC/246/2021, which governs the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-use Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
According to the directive, it is the responsibility of the DisCos to replace any faulty or obsolete meters at no cost to the customer, provided the damage was not caused by the customer. Furthermore, the order prohibits the forced migration of customers with functional meters to the estimated billing regime.
NERC reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and enforcing compliance among its licensees. “The Commission is determined to protect customers’ interests by ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and will impose penalties on non-compliant licensees,” the statement added.
Customers have been urged to report any instances of non-compliance to NERC through its designated channels. This warning comes amid ongoing challenges in the Nigerian electricity sector, where meter replacement and billing transparency remain significant concerns for consumers.
