The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed all Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to replace faulty and obsolete prepaid meters for their customers at no cost.

This mandate, outlined in a statement released today, emphasizes that the responsibility for replacing outdated meters lies with the DisCos, not the consumers.

The directive comes in the wake of reports that some electricity companies, including Ikeja Electric and Eko Electricity Distribution Company, had told customers with old Unistar prepaid meters to replace them or face being moved to estimated billing. 

NERC’s intervention follows public outcry after these companies set a deadline of November 14, 2024, for customers to swap their meters.

The commission has since stepped in to clarify that customers should not be charged for the replacement, and no one should be subjected to estimated billing if their meter is faulty or obsolete.

NERC further stated that the move to phase out certain prepaid meters, especially when the manufacturer (Unistar) claimed no fault in its devices, violated the commission’s regulations. 

In its statement, NERC urged customers who are asked to pay for meter replacements to report the issue through dedicated hotlines and email addresses.