LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) don sanction eight Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) for breaching billing regulations for unmetered customers. The fine, wey dey total over N628 million, come as a response to infractions wey happen between July and September 2024.
The affected DisCos na Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Eko Electricity, Enugu Electricity, Jos Electricity, Kaduna Electric, Kano Electricity, and Yola Electricity. According to NERC, di companies fail to keep to di monthly energy caps wey dem impose for unmetered customers, wey be part of efforts to reduce estimated billing.
“Pursuant to Section 34(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 2023, di commission don sanction dis eight DisCos for not fully complying with di monthly energy caps between July – September 2024,” NERC talk for their statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
Di commission mention say di sanctions are critical to maintaining compliance and protecting di rights of electricity consumers. According to di statement, “di non-compliant DisCos fit exploit unmetered consumers, and we dey serious to protect dem.”
NERC also direct di DisCos to make credit adjustments for affected customers by May 15, 2025. Dis credit adjustments go follow di monitoring wey show di amount wey customers overpay based on di new caps.
“We encourage all customers wey fit get affected to keep record of their bills so dem fit no lose out,” di statement add. “Di fine amount of six hundred and twenty-eight million, thirty-one thousand, five hundred and eighty-three naira and ninety-four kobo (N628,031,583.94) be 5 percent of di gross overbilling for di period under review.”
NERC don really emphasize di importance of consumer protection in di industry, ensuring say electricity distribution companies comply with di set guidelines.
Dis latest development go serve as warning to other DisCos wẹ no dey comply with di established regulations, as NERC dey determined to enforce penalties to maintain fairness in di Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
