The Federal Government has banned electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and their installers from collecting any form of payment for electricity meters, warning that officials found extorting customers will be prosecuted.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued the warning on Thursday during an on-site inspection of newly imported smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos. He said the meters were procured under the World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and must be installed free of charge for consumers nationwide.
Adelabu stressed that any demand for money—whether by DisCo officials or third-party installers—constitutes an offence. “Nobody should collect a dime from any consumer. It is illegal,” he said.
The minister, who was received by the Area Controller of the Apapa Port Command of the Nigerian Customs Service, Emmanuel Oshoba, expressed satisfaction over the arrival of another 500,000 smart meters, describing it as part of a broader plan to close Nigeria’s metering gap.
According to him, the Federal Government plans to import about 3.4 million meters in two batches. Of the first batch of 1.43 million meters, close to one million have already arrived, while about 150,000 meters have been installed across the country. The newly arrived 500,000 meters are expected to accelerate deployment.
Adelabu admitted dissatisfaction with the current pace of metering but expressed optimism that within a few years, all households, businesses, and institutions would be fully metered, leading to fairer billing, improved transparency, and better liquidity in the power sector.
He announced plans to closely monitor installations, open customer complaint desks, and encourage whistleblowing against extortion. Regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and state regulators, will also be involved in enforcement.
The minister added that unmetered customers would be able to register through a dedicated process to speed up installations, noting that accurate customer data remains a major challenge being addressed with the DisCos.
Reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance stance on extortion, Adelabu said any confirmed case—regardless of the official’s rank—would be prosecuted and publicised as a deterrent.
He emphasized that meter distribution would cover all customer categories, insisting that Band A, B, or C classifications are temporary and will not limit access to free meters.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayo Gbeleyi, disclosed that NERC would soon issue a circular outlining mandatory protocols for DisCos to ensure unhindered meter installations. He added that the meters are DisCo-specific and embedded with anti-theft technology.
Chairman of Mojec, Mojisola Abdul, confirmed that nearly 150,000 meters had already been installed free of charge and announced plans for a mobile registration system that would enable installations within three days of registration.
Addressing concerns over past delays and payments, Adelabu assured Nigerians that the current programme differs significantly from previous efforts, citing sufficient meter supply and a strict no-payment policy.
The minister also visited the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, where meters are certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency. Nigeria currently has over five million customers under estimated billing.
