The Federal Government of Nigeria has prohibited electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and technicians from levying fees for installing prepaid meters, including stern warnings of legal action against violators.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made this declaration on 22nd Thursday, 2026, during inspections to a fresh shipment of 500,000 smart meters at Apapa’s APM Terminals in Lagos.
Funded by the World Bank’s Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), the meters aimed at universal free deployment to eliminate estimated billing The DISREP initiative imported 3.4 million units across two phases, with about one million already delivered and roughly 150,000 fitted across Nigeria.
Eligible for all users, spanning Bands A through C, the smart meters featured DisCo-specific configurations and anti-theft safeguards.
Officials anticipate comprehensive coverage for homes, firms, and public facilities soon, boosting revenue transparency and payment compliance.
The Federal Government has vowed to crackdown violators, noting that requesting payments constitute a crime which shall be prosecuted regardless of rank.
The authorities also promised to publicize cases to deter others, with a dedicated complaint portal inviting public reports.
NERC and state bodies will regulate the scheme via offices and dashboards, while unmetered users can self-register for swift validation and deployment. Furthermore, direct links between installers and consumers, including data cleanup with DisCos aimed to hasten the process.
Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise, Ayo Gbeleyi, assured NERC circulars for seamless access and full stakeholder tracking.
Delivering her remarks, the Chairperson of Mojec Chair, Mojisola Abdul, confirmed 150,000 free Installations to date, promoting mobile registration for three-day turnaround.