The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has rolled out new penalties for individuals and businesses found guilty of bypassing or tampering with electricity meters.
Announced in its revised Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass, the new regulations, shared via NERC’s X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday—replace Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017.
The amended order will take effect on January 22, 2025, in accordance with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CPR) 2023. It aims to reduce electricity theft, improve metering compliance, and increase enforcement procedures.
The revised ruling authorises electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to disconnect unlawful connections without prior notification and establishes clear reconnection requirements.
According to NERC, the new regulations focus on, Reducing electricity theft, meter tampering, and illegal bypassing of meters, Establishing transparent reconnection procedures to deter future violations.
NERC has significantly increased financial penalties for those caught bypassing meters.
The fines are now structured as follows, Single-phase meters (Non-Maximum Demand consumers) First offence, (₦100,000), Subsequent offences (₦150,000).
Three-phase meters (for non-maximum demand users) The first offence costs ₦200,000, while further offences cost ₦300,000.
The enhanced penalties underscore NERC’s zero-tolerance policy against electricity theft, ensuring that customers pay for the power they use.
The commission emphasised that tight enforcement will assist minimise energy waste, increase DisCo revenue collection, and, ultimately, improve service delivery.
Electricity users are encouraged to adhere to metering rules to prevent disconnections and monetary fines.
Simultaneously, DisCos have been instructed to initiate public awareness initiatives to inform customers about the risks and repercussions of meter tampering.
In January 2025, NERC urged electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to create a system for identifying assets and liabilities to enhance regulatory supervision.
The chairman of NERC, Sanusi Garba, said: “A transparent and structured approach to asset and liability delineation is crucial, especially as we push forward with decentralising electricity regulation.”
According to recent NERC data, Nigeria has 13,339,635 registered electricity consumers across 12 DisCos, yet 7,182,909 (53.85%) are unmetered, emphasising the need for improved metering infrastructure.
In a related move, NERC directed DisCos in November 2024 to ensure that Band A customers receive at least 20 hours of electricity supply daily, in line with service-based tariff regulations.
The new penalties signal NERC’s commitment to enforcing regulatory compliance and tackling electricity theft as the country pushes for improved power sector efficiency.
SOURCE: thepointng.com