The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has clarified that not all electricity meters being installed across the country are free, amid public confusion over government metering plans and comments from power officials.
NERC Chairman Musiliu Oseni explained on a radio programme that meters supplied under certain government-funded initiatives are “100 per cent free.”
He said meters provided under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) must be given to customers at no cost: “The meter provided by the government is 100 per cent free… the DISREP meter is free because it is paid for by the government.”
Oseni stressed that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are prohibited from asking customers to pay for these government-funded meters, saying: “No DisCo is allowed to collect money from customers because of a DISREP meter.”
However, he acknowledged that free meters are not the only option.
Customers who do not want to wait for free installations can choose to get a meter from a Meter Asset Provider (MAP), but they must pay for those units: “If you get the free meter, you are not to be paid anything… but they must ensure that they pay into a company, not an individual.”
Oseni also warned consumers to be careful and to check for the “DISREP” inscription on free meters so they are not charged wrongly.
His clarification follows a government ban on DisCos collecting any fees for meter installation under the World Bank-backed programme and comes as the regulator and the Bureau of Public Enterprises insist that installation should be free of charge, even though recovery of costs through tariffs is expected.
Electricity users still waiting for free meters were reminded that paid alternatives remain available if they do not want to wait.
