In a bid to address pressing metering issues facing consumers in Nigeria’s electricity sector, the Federal Competition and Consumer protection Commission (FCCPC) on Tuesday hosted electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and other relevant stakeholders in Abuja.
Speaking the stakeholders meeting, the Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello said the gathering “highlights our collective responsibility in safeguarding the rights and well-being of electricity consumers amidst critical challenges.
“Electricity should be reliable, accessible, and affordable. Unfortunately, the Nigerian electricity sector has long grappled with a range of consumer issues.
“From our analysis of consumer complaints, it is clear that electricity consumers routinely endure problems related to billing, metering, transformers, connections, disconnections, and customer service, among others.
“Regrettably, many of these challenges, from billing inaccuracies to inadequate customer care, are human-made. They stem from systemic inefficiencies and a troubling culture of impunity among certain service providers.”
Bello explained that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and current NERC regulations grant consumers rights, including rights to fair treatment and transparent billing.
He said, “However, complaints reveal that consumers are often forced to pay upfront for meters without reimbursement, contrary to established guidelines under the NERC Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations 2021, which stipulate reimbursement through energy credits.
“Furthermore, customers with faulty meters are randomly placed on estimated billing by some DisCos, a practice that is clearly prohibited by NERC.”
He noted that the disregard for robust regulatory frameworks, such as the NERC Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations 2021 and the Customer Protection Regulations 2023, by DisCos is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.
“While it is recognised that Nigeria faces power shortages, these shortages cannot justify systemic abuses against consumers. Going forward, regulatory breaches in the industry will be met with immediate corrective action.
“Our objective is to ensure that every metering process remains transparent and accountable, prioritising the interests of consumers.
“At this meeting, we aim to clarify the phase-out process and advise DisCos to bear the replacement costs for their meters without imposing additional charges on consumers.
“The Commission is committed to enforcing strict adherence to regulatory guidelines, ensuring that consumers are neither unfairly charged nor randomly subjected to estimated billing.
“This engagement will also address broader issues surrounding metering in the electricity industry. These include non-reimbursement for meter purchases, delays in meter installation and repairs, estimated billing of customers with faulty meters, consumer exploitation by meter installers, token loading challenges, and inadequate customer service,” the EVC stated.
Also at the meeting, the Representative of NERC, Zubair Babatunde said the Commission will ensure that the right thing is done by the relevant stakeholders.
Representatives of DisCos from different states reaffirmed commitment to consume friendly policies.
Other stakeholders at the meeting included manufacturers like Unistar Hi-Tech system and regulators like Metering and Laboratory Services.
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