The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced fines for meter tampering and by-pass across all customer categories, effective January 22, 2025.
This announcement was made through the Amended Order on Unauthorized Access, Meter Tampering, and By-Pass, which was issued and made available by the Commission on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
NERC, in the order, stated that “any customers who bypass meters or gain unauthorised access must pay administrative charges, including meter replacement costs and reconnection costs.”
The Commission also ordered that any residential customer, Single Phase, who gains unauthorised access to electricity through tampering or meter by-pass would be reconnected upon payment of the administrative charges, including meter replacement cost, which shall not exceed the sum of N100,000 for First Offense, and N150,000 for Subsequent Offense.
While the three-phase customer would pay N200,000 for the first offence and N300,000 for the subsequent offence.
For Maximum Demand (MD) customers who gain unauthorised access, it would attract 450% of the last recorded consumption for First Offense and 600% of the last recorded consumption.
NERC further explained that non-MD and MD customers who committed the above offence would be made to pay reconnection costs of N10,000 and N50,000, respectively.
It said if DisCos fail to reconnect a customer within 48 hours after payment, they must compensate with 100% of daily energy consumption in energy credit, noting that customers guilty of unauthorised access must pay for the loss of revenue through back-billing at the prevailing tariff.
NERC added that the amended order, which replaced Order No. NERC/REG/41/2017 aligns with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CRR) 2023, which allow Distribution Companies DisCos to disconnect unauthorised connections without notice and prescribe reconnection conditions.
According to NERC, the new order will reduce unauthorised access to electricity, meter tampering, and bypass and also establish transparent reconnection guidelines to ensure compliance.
By Babajide Okeowo
