The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced new penalties for individuals and businesses involved in electricity meter bypassing and unauthorized access.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the measures, part of a revised ‘Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass,’ were posted by the commission on its official X page on Tuesday.
NERC said the policy, which aims to curb electricity theft, came into effect on January 22, 2025.
According to NERC, the new penalties align with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CPR) 2023, which permit Distribution Companies (DisCos) to disconnect unauthorized connections without prior notice and establish clear guidelines for reconnection.
The regulatory body stated that the revised order was introduced to strengthen enforcement against electricity theft, meter tampering, and unauthorized access, ensuring compliance with established metering regulations.
It was gathered that the move is expected to improve transparency in reconnection processes and reduce incidents of illegal power consumption.
PLATFORM TIMES further gathered that the new penalty regime introduces significant fines for customers found guilty of bypassing electricity meters.
The charges will be determined based on the type of meter involved: non-MD (Maximum Demand) Single-phase Meters: The first offense will attract a fine of N100,000, while subsequent offenses will incur N150,000.
Non-MD Three-phase Meters: For the first offense, the fine will be N200,000, with subsequent violations carrying a penalty of N300,000.
For customers with Maximum Demand (MD) meters, the penalties are even more severe.
The first offense will attract a penalty of 450% of the last unit of electricity consumed, while subsequent offenses will carry a charge of 600% of the last recorded consumption.
The revised order also includes reconnection charges. Non-MD customers will pay N10,000 for reconnection, while MD customers will be required to pay N50,000.
As part of the new measures, NERC has outlined the procedures for reconnection following a meter bypass or unauthorized access.
Customers who bypass their meters or gain unauthorized access to electricity will be required to pay administrative charges, including the cost of replacing the tampered meter, before reconnection can occur.
If a Distribution Company (DisCo) fails to reconnect a customer within 48 hours after payment has been made, they will be required to compensate the customer with energy credits equal to 100% of their daily energy consumption.
This move aims to address customer grievances and ensure timely service delivery.
Customers caught bypassing meters will also be required to compensate for lost revenue through back-billing.
This will be done based on the prevailing tariff for electricity at the time of the offense, ensuring that Distribution Companies (DisCos) recover the revenue lost due to unauthorized consumption.
The move comes amid a growing concern over the high number of complaints lodged by electricity consumers in the country.
In the third quarter of 2024, NERC revealed that 70.28% of all complaints received by power distribution companies were related to metering, billing, and service interruptions.
The new penalties and enforcement guidelines are expected to address some of these issues and promote better service delivery across the sector.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s new policy is a bold step towards combating electricity theft, promoting fairness in the sector, and ensuring that all customers adhere to the country’s energy consumption regulations.
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