Electricity consumers who by-pass their meters will now pay a maximum penalty of N300,000, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said.
The NERC made this known in its newly-issued revised Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass posted on NERC’s X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
This revised order replaces Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017.
The commission said the new order, which took effect on 22 January 2025, aligns with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CPR) 2023 to strengthen enforcement against electricity theft and ensure compliance with metering regulations.
The revised order grants Distribution Companies (DisCos) the authority to disconnect unauthorised connections without prior notice and prescribes clear conditions for reconnection.
The objectives of the amendment include: Reducing unauthorised access to electricity, meter tampering, and by-pass; Establishing transparent reconnection guidelines to ensure compliance and deter future violations.
Under the new order, the commission introduced stiffer financial penalties for electricity consumers found guilty of meter tampering and by-pass.
The revised fines are as follows: Non-MD (Maximum Demand) Single-phase meters: First offence: N100,000; Subsequent offence: N150,000. Non-MD Three-phase meters: First offence: N200,000, Subsequent offence: N300,000.
The commission emphasised that stricter enforcement would help curb electricity theft, improve revenue collection for DisCos and ultimately enhance service delivery.
It advised electricity consumers to ensure that their metering systems remain compliant with regulatory standards to avoid disconnection and fines.
DisCos were also directed to implement awareness campaigns to educate customers on the consequences of meter tampering and the importance of regularizing their electricity connections.
