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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed electricity distribution companies to refund N20.33 billion owed to customers who paid for meters under the Metre Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
According to the commission, the refunds are to be fully repaid within 12 months starting from March 1, 2026, through energy credits applied to customer accounts.
“To recover the sum of N20.33bn that was not reimbursed to customers as at 31 December 2025, DisCos shall accelerate the rate of recovery for the affected customers over a 12-month period commencing from 1 March 2026,” the order said.
Under the MAP framework, customers finance the purchase of meters upfront and are reimbursed over time by DisCos. However, NERC noted that repayments have been sluggish, prompting regulatory intervention.
The directive, issued as Order No. NERC/2026/025 was signed on February 27, 2026, by NERC Chairman Musiliu Oseni and Commissioner for Legal, Licensing, and Compliance Dafe Akpeneye. It updates an earlier 2023 guideline on metre reimbursement.
A compliance review conducted in February 2026 found that, as of December 31, 2025, DisCos still owed customers a total of N20.33 billion for meters acquired under the scheme.
The commission said the revised order is aimed at eliminating delays, improving transparency in refunds, and restoring consumer confidence in the power sector.
Under the new rules, meter costs must be credited to customers’ accounts immediately after meter activation and repaid automatically in monthly instalments over the approved amortisation period.
NERC also clarified that these reimbursements must not be used to offset existing customer debts, stressing that both obligations should be treated separately.
For prepaid users, DisCos are required to issue monthly tokens reflecting the reimbursement value, while postpaid customers must see the refunds clearly listed as credits on their electricity bills.
The commission further explained that prepaid customers will receive reimbursement tokens no later than the fourth day of each month, based on their tariff rates and spread over a 120-month period. For postpaid users, the refund will appear as a separate line item deducted from their monthly bill.
To clear the outstanding N20.33 billion, DisCos have been instructed to accelerate repayments within the 12-month window. This means that affected prepaid customers will receive two tokens monthly, while postpaid users will see double-credit entries during the recovery period.
In addition, NERC mandated strict monitoring, requiring DisCos to submit monthly reports detailing reimbursement progress. They must also create dedicated channels, including email platforms, for customers to lodge complaints and track resolution.
