FG Bans Electricity Meter Charges, Threatens Prosecution for Extortion

• The Federal Government has prohibited electricity distribution companies and installers from collecting money for meters, declaring free installation mandatory and warning that offenders will be prosecuted.

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 face prosecution.

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.

Adelabu said the meters were procured under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), funded by the World Bank, and must be installed free of charge for electricity consumers nationwide.

“These meters are to be installed and distributed to consumers free of charge—free of charge,” the minister stressed. “Nobody should collect money from any consumer. It is an offence for any DisCo official or installer to request a dime, directly or indirectly.”

The minister, who was received at the Apapa Port Command of the Nigerian Customs Service by Area Controller Emmanuel Oshoba, expressed satisfaction over the arrival of another 500,000 smart meters, describing it as a major step toward closing Nigeria’s metering gap.

According to Adelabu, the Federal Government plans to import about 3.4 million meters in two phases, with 1.43 million meters in the first batch. Nearly one million meters have already arrived, while about 150,000 have been installed nationwide so far.

“All the meters received are smart meters. This marks the beginning of the complete elimination of the meter gap in the Nigerian power sector,” he said, while admitting dissatisfaction with the current pace of installations.

He assured Nigerians that the meters would be distributed across all customer bands, insisting that no category of electricity users would be excluded. “Band A, Band B or Band C is temporary. These meters will be given to all customers without discrimination,” Adelabu stated.

To curb extortion, the minister disclosed that the government would track installations, establish customer complaint desks, and work closely with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and state regulatory bodies. He warned that confirmed cases of extortion would be publicly prosecuted to serve as a deterrent.

“Extortion is not allowed. Any DisCo official or installer involved—no matter how highly placed—will be prosecuted. We will not allow anyone to frustrate government efforts to reform the power sector,” he said.

Speaking on implementation, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ayo Gbeleyi, said the bureau coordinates DISREP and works closely with all 11 DisCos. He disclosed that NERC would soon issue fresh guidelines to ensure unhindered access for meter installations.

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Also speaking, the Chairman of Mojec, Mojisola Abdul, said nearly 150,000 meters supplied under the programme had already been installed at no cost to consumers. She added that a mobile registration process was being introduced to speed up installations.

Adelabu further reassured Nigerians that past challenges associated with meter scarcity and payment requirements would not recur, noting that Nigeria now has sufficient meter volumes and a clear policy of free installation.

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 electricity customers under estimated billing, a situation the government says this programme aims to eliminate.