The Federal Government has prohibited electricity distribution companies and their installers from collecting any fees for meter installation, warning that anyone found extorting customers will face prosecution.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection of newly imported smart electricity meters at APM Terminals, Apapa Port, Lagos.
Adelabu said the meters were procured under the World Bank–supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and must be installed for consumers at no cost, stressing that demanding payment from beneficiaries is illegal.
He expressed satisfaction with the arrival of an additional 500,000 smart meters, describing it as another milestone in government efforts to close Nigeria’s metering gap and improve efficiency in the power sector.
The minister emphasised that the free meters would be distributed to electricity consumers across all service bands, noting that no category of customer would be excluded from the exercise.
“This is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. These meters are to be distributed and installed completely free of charge. No official of any distribution company or installer is allowed to collect money, directly or indirectly. Any such act will be treated as an offence,” Adelabu said.
He explained that the DISREP initiative targets the importation of about 3.4 million meters in two phases, adding that nearly one million meters had already arrived, with about 150,000 installed nationwide.
According to him, the newly received batch brings the country closer to eliminating estimated billing and promoting fairness, transparency and accountability in electricity billing.
Adelabu expressed optimism that within a few years, all households, businesses and institutions would be fully metered, leading to improved revenue collection and liquidity in the power sector.
He said the Federal Government would closely monitor the installation process, urging electricity consumers to report any attempt by DisCo officials or installers to demand money.
To support this, the minister disclosed plans to establish customer complaint desks and strengthen collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and state-level regulators to track installations and investigate complaints.
Adelabu also announced plans to create a register for unmetered customers to improve data accuracy and accelerate deployment, noting that poor customer data had slowed metering efforts in the past.
He warned that confirmed cases of extortion would be publicly prosecuted to serve as a deterrent, stressing that no individual or organisation would be allowed to frustrate government reforms in the power sector.
“The era of extortion is over. This is a government intervention meant to ease the burden on Nigerians and ensure a stable, reliable and functional electricity supply,” he said.
Speaking on the programme, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Ayo Gbeleyi, said the bureau coordinates the DISREP implementation and works closely with all 11 electricity distribution companies.
Gbeleyi said NERC would soon issue a new directive outlining clear procedures to guarantee unhindered access for meter installations, adding that monitoring tools were already in place to ensure compliance.
He noted that the meters were customised for specific DisCos with anti-theft features, explaining that a meter designed for one distribution company could not be used by another.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Mojec International, Mrs Mojisola Abdul, assured Nigerians that the meters were genuinely free, adding that nearly 150,000 units had already been installed without charge.
She disclosed that a mobile registration system was being introduced to enable customers to register and have meters installed within a few days.
Responding to concerns over delays experienced under previous metering schemes, Adelabu said the current programme addressed past challenges through increased meter availability and a strict no-payment policy.
The minister also visited the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, Lagos, where meters are certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency to ensure they meet required technical standards.
Nigeria currently has over five million electricity customers on estimated billing, a situation the Federal Government says it is determined to eliminate through sustained metering reforms.
