The Federal Government has imposed a strict nationwide ban on electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and meter installers from collecting any form of payment from consumers for the installation of electricity meters, warning that violators will face prosecution.
Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, issued the directive on Thursday during an on-site inspection of a fresh consignment of imported smart meters at APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos. The meters are part of the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which is aimed at closing Nigeria’s long-standing metering gap and improving transparency in electricity billing.
Adelabu emphasized that all meters procured under the programme must be distributed and installed completely free of charge, regardless of a customer’s service band or category.
“It is unprecedented that these meters are to be installed and distributed to consumers free of charge, free of charge! Nobody should collect money from any consumer. It is an illegality. It is an offence for officials of distribution companies across Nigeria to request a dime before installation,” the minister declared.
He disclosed that about 500,000 new smart meters had just arrived, adding to previous deliveries under the DISREP initiative. According to him, the programme targets the importation of approximately 3.4 million meters in two batches, with the first batch of 1.43 million meters already seeing nearly one million delivered to the country. So far, about 150,000 meters have been installed nationwide.
While expressing dissatisfaction with the slow pace of installation, Adelabu remained optimistic that within a few years, every household, business, and institution in Nigeria would be fully metered.
“When that happens, it will enhance transparency in billing, increase customers’ willingness to pay, and improve liquidity across the power sector,” he said, describing the initiative as the largest meter deployment effort in Nigeria’s history.
“This is the first time in the history of this country that a government will be importing and locally buying this number of meters to ensure that the power sector is completely transformed. We are walking the talk,” the minister added.
To ensure strict compliance, Adelabu announced the establishment of monitoring mechanisms, including a customer complaint desk where Nigerians can report any attempt at extortion by DisCo officials or installers. He said the ministry is working closely with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and state regulators to track violations.
“Once confirmed, no matter how highly placed the official is, there will be public prosecution. We want it to serve as a deterrent,” he warned.
The minister also revealed that the government is addressing installation delays by improving the accuracy of data on unmetered customers, creating registration platforms for priority listing, and enabling direct engagement between installers and consumers. A new NERC circular, he said, is expected to outline clear protocols to guarantee unhindered access for meter deployment teams.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, who coordinates DISREP implementation, assured stakeholders that the meters are customized for specific DisCos and equipped with anti-theft features that prevent their use outside designated networks. He said the rollout is being monitored through digital dashboards and sustained stakeholder collaboration to ensure a rapid and transparent process.
Chairman of Mojec, one of the meter suppliers, Mrs. Mojisola Abdul, confirmed that nearly 150,000 meters had already been installed free of charge. She urged consumers not to pay any installer and announced a “mobile registration” system, promising installations within three days of registration in many areas.
Adelabu acknowledged public skepticism caused by past experiences of limited meter availability and mandatory payments. However, he noted that the scale of the current initiative, nearly one million meters already delivered and an additional 1.55 million expected in the second phase, along with the firm’s free-installation policy, marks a major departure from previous efforts.
The minister also visited the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, where he observed quality assurance testing carried out by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency.
With more than five million customers still under-estimated billing nationwide, the programme represents a major push by the Tinubu administration to resolve long-standing trust and liquidity challenges in the power sector. Adelabu described the initiative as a bold demonstration of political will to deliver meaningful and lasting reforms.
