power distribution companies (DisCos) and meter installers are prohibited nationally from collecting any payment from customers for the installation of power meters by the federal government, which has threatened to prosecute violators.
On Thursday, January 22, Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, issued the order while inspecting a fresh shipment of imported smart meters at APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos.
The meters were purchased as part of the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which is supported by the World Bank and aims to improve energy billing transparency and close Nigeria’s metering gap.
Adelabu stressed that all meters supplied under the programme must be installed free of charge, regardless of customer category.
“It is an offence for any DisCo official or installer to request a dime from consumers before installation. These meters must be distributed and installed completely free of charge,” he said.
He disclosed that about 500,000 new smart meters had arrived, adding to previous deliveries under the initiative.
The programme targets the procurement of 3.4 million meters in two phases. Of the first batch of 1.43 million meters, nearly one million have been delivered to Nigeria, with about 150,000 already installed nationwide.
