The Federal Government has issued a definitive ban on the sale of electricity meters to consumers, declaring that all smart meters under the current national rollout must be provided and installed at no cost. Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu announced the directive during a high-level inspection of newly arrived meter shipments at the APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos, warning that any distribution company official or third-party installer caught demanding payment will face criminal prosecution.
Under the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), the government aims to deploy millions of smart meters to improve revenue collection and transparency within the struggling power sector.
Minister Adelabu emphasised that the free distribution is a nationwide mandate and not a suggestion, stating that it is an illegality for any official to request a dime for installation. He noted that the government would no longer tolerate the exploitation of electricity consumers who have historically been forced to pay upfront for meters despite regulatory provisions suggesting otherwise. The Minister stressed that even indirect installers are prohibited from charging fees, asserting that the journey to completely eliminating the meter gap has officially begun.
To ensure compliance, the Ministry of Power is collaborating with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to establish a customer complaint desk. This portal will serve as a reporting hub for citizens to flag instances of extortion.
Adelabu confirmed that confirmed cases would lead to the prosecution of officials regardless of their rank within the Distribution Companies (DisCos). He noted that these legal actions would be publicised to serve as a deterrent to others harbouring similar intentions of defrauding the public.
Ayo Gbeleyi, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, confirmed that his office is overseeing the boards of all 11 DisCos to ensure the directive is followed. He revealed that NERC is set to issue a new regulatory order prescribing strict protocols that DisCos must follow to ensure unhindered access for meter installations. This regulatory framework is designed to eliminate the delays and artificial scarcities often used by officials to solicit bribes from desperate consumers.
The first phase of this initiative involves the distribution of 1.43 million metres, with nearly one million units already on the ground and 150,000 already installed. A second phase is expected to bring in an additional 1.55 million meters. Government officials believe that by saturating the market with free meters, they can stabilise the liquidity of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) by ensuring that every kilowatt of energy consumed is accurately measured and paid for.
The Minister also addressed concerns regarding service tiers, clarifying that the free meter rollout is not exclusive to Band A customers who receive the highest number of supply hours. He stated that the reform is intended to reach every electricity user across all bands, describing the current classification as a temporary measure in a broader systematic reform.
