By: Ike Philip Abiagom
The Federal Government has banned electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and their installers from collecting any form of payment for meter installation, warning that officials found extorting consumers will face prosecution.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued the directive 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 for consumers at no cost.
Adelabu, who was received by the Area Controller of the Nigerian Customs Service, Apapa Port Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, expressed satisfaction with the arrival of another 500,000 smart meters under the programme. He stressed that the meters would be distributed to electricity consumers across all tariff bands.
“It is unprecedented that these meters will be installed and distributed free of charge. Nobody—whether DisCo officials or installers—should collect money from any consumer. Any such demand is illegal and will be treated as an offence,” the minister said.
He explained that the Federal Government plans to import about 3.4 million meters in two batches under DISREP, with 1.43 million in the first phase. Nearly one million meters have already arrived, while about 150,000 have been installed nationwide.
The latest consignment of 500,000 meters, he said, marked a major step towards closing Nigeria’s metering gap, though he expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of deployment.
Adelabu said the initiative would enhance transparency and fairness in electricity billing, boost consumers’ willingness to pay, and improve liquidity in the power sector. He added that the Tinubu administration was demonstrating strong political will by directly intervening to resolve a decades-long metering deficit.
“We are not saying this behind closed doors. The installation of these meters is free, and any attempt to collect money is an offence. We will monitor the process end-to-end, open customer complaint desks, and rely on tip-offs from Nigerians. Confirmed cases of extortion will lead to prosecution, regardless of the status of those involved,” he warned.
The minister disclosed plans to create a register for unmetered customers to fast-track installations, noting that challenges with customer data were being addressed in collaboration with DisCos. He emphasized that the programme covers all categories of customers, insisting that meter distribution would not be restricted to any particular tariff band.
“The issue of Band A, B or C is temporary. Every Nigerian electricity consumer will be metered,” Adelabu said.
Responding to concerns about delays, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayo Gbeleyi, said a new regulatory order from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) would soon outline clear protocols for unhindered meter installation. He added that the meters were customized for specific DisCos and embedded with anti-theft features.
Also speaking, Chairperson of Mojec, Mojisola Abdul, said nearly 150,000 meters had already been installed free of charge, urging consumers not to pay anyone. She revealed that a mobile registration initiative was being introduced to ensure meters are installed within days of registration.
Adelabu later visited the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, where meters are certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency to ensure compliance with required standards. He noted that over five million electricity customers in Nigeria are currently under estimated billing, a challenge the government is determined to eliminate through the ongoing reforms.
