The Federal Government has banned electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and installers from charging consumers for smart meters, warning that anyone caught extorting money will face prosecution.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the announcement on Thursday while inspecting 500,000 newly imported smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos.
The meters were procured under the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and are intended to bridge Nigeria’s long-standing meter gap.
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Adelabu emphasized that the meters must be installed free of charge for all electricity consumers, regardless of customer category.
“It is an offence for any DisCo official or installer to request payment from customers,” he said, describing the move as a major step toward transparency and efficiency in billing and collections.
Currently, almost 150,000 meters have been installed, with a total of 3.4 million meters planned in two batches.
The minister reassured Nigerians that the government would track installations, encourage reporting of illegal charges, and prosecute confirmed cases to serve as a deterrent.
Officials, including Ayo Gbeleyi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, stressed that the program is carefully monitored and that each meter is specifically configured for the assigned DisCo, ensuring security and proper deployment.
Adelabu expressed optimism that, within a few years, every household, business, and institution in Nigeria will be fully metered, improving billing transparency, collections, and overall liquidity in the power sector.