Federal Government has banned electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and their installers from collecting any form of payment for the installation of electricity meters, warning that violators will face prosecution and other sanctions.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued the directive on Thursday during an on-site inspection of newly imported smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa Port, Lagos. He stressed that the meters were procured under the World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and must be installed for electricity consumers free of charge.
Adelabu warned that it is illegal for DisCo officials or third-party installers to demand money from consumers, describing such actions as extortion. He emphasized that the policy applies to all electricity customers, irrespective of their service band, and that any official found collecting money would be sanctioned.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Government is importing a total of about 3.4 million meters under the DISREP initiative, with the first batch consisting of 1.43 million units. He noted that close to one million meters have already been received, while nearly 150,000 have been installed nationwide. The latest shipment includes about 500,000 smart meters.
Adelabu expressed concern over the slow pace of metering but remained optimistic that the initiative would significantly reduce Nigeria’s meter deficit in the coming years. He said full metering would enhance transparency, improve billing accuracy, and increase consumers’ willingness to pay, thereby boosting liquidity in the power sector.
He described the programme as unprecedented, noting that it marks the first time the Federal Government is directly importing and supporting the large-scale deployment of meters. The minister added that the government would closely monitor installations, establish customer complaint desks, and work with regulatory agencies and state authorities to ensure compliance.
Adelabu also said the government is collaborating with DisCos to clean customer data and resolve address challenges in order to accelerate meter installation across the country
