Electricity customers will only pay for meters through tariff costs –NERC

Electricity customers will henceforth cease to make one-off payment for meters but rather will pay for them via periodic tariff costs, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said.

A reward system that will compensate those who have acquired meters from their own purse is also in the pipeline.

Nathan Rogers Shatti, the NERC Commissioner, told stakeholders and industry think tank at a virtual session on Wednesday of the imperative of adopting a tariff and billing that will be determined by quality assurance and delivery.

“There would be a new mechanism for people who used their money to buy their own meters. There have been delays in the implementation; all those who paid for their own meters will be compensated,” Shatti said.

Read also: DisCo to set up Tribunal to try customers sabotaging electricity distribution

President Muhammadu Buhari, in August, approved a fresh electricity tariff hike effective from 1st September, stirring up outrage and backlash among end-users.

Under the new billing regime, only customers enjoying at least 12 hours of daily power supply will pay the newly increased rates.

“Government does not have the resources to continue along this path. To borrow just to subsidize generation and distribution, which are both privatized, will be grossly irresponsible,” Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said at a press conference last week.

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