The Federal Government has banned electricity distribution companies and installers from collecting any form of payment for meter installation, warning that any official found extorting consumers will be prosecuted.
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 World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and must be installed free of charge for all consumers, stressing that any demand for money would be treated as a criminal offence.
The minister, who was received by the Area Controller of the Nigerian Customs Service at Apapa Port, Emmanuel Oshoba, expressed satisfaction over the arrival of another 500,000 smart meters, adding that they would be distributed to customers across all electricity bands.
“It is unprecedented that these meters are to be installed free of charge—free of charge. Nobody should collect money from any consumer. It is an offence for any DisCo official or installer to request a dime before installation,” Adelabu said.
He explained that the Federal Government plans to import about 3.4 million meters in two batches, with 1.43 million in the first batch, of which nearly one million meters have already arrived and about 150,000 installed nationwide.
Adelabu said the current delivery of 500,000 meters marked the beginning of eliminating Nigeria’s longstanding meter gap, though he expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of installation.
He said the goal was to ensure that every household, business and institution would be fully metered within a few years, making billing more transparent, fair and efficient, while improving liquidity in the power sector.
The minister announced plans to establish customer complaint desks and a registration system for unmetered customers, adding that the government would monitor installations closely and prosecute any confirmed cases of extortion.
“Extortion is not allowed. Any DisCo official or installer involved—no matter how highly placed—will be prosecuted and publicised as a deterrent,” he said.
He stressed that the programme covers all categories of customers, regardless of Band A, B or C, adding that no group would be discriminated against.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayo Gbeleyi, said the bureau coordinates DISREP implementation and is monitoring deployment through trackers and dashboards.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) would soon issue a circular outlining protocols to ensure unhindered meter installation, adding that each meter is configured for a specific DisCo and fitted with anti-theft features.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Mojec, Mojisola Abdul, said nearly 150,000 meters had already been installed free of charge, urging Nigerians not to pay anyone for installation.
She announced a new mobile registration system that would allow meters to be installed within three days of registration.
Responding to concerns about delays and previous payments, Adelabu assured Nigerians that the new programme eliminates past complications, with sufficient meter supply and strict enforcement of free installation.
The minister also inspected the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, where meters are certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency.
Nigeria currently has over five million customers on estimated billing, a situation the government says the programme is designed to end.
Elijah Adeyemi
