News
ELECTRICITY: FG warns Discos ; Customers tired of estimated billing,
Electricity consumers do not want to pay on the basis of estimated bills, rather they want to pay for what they consume and should be provided meters in order to achieve this, the Federal Government told power distribution companies on Tuesday.
Discos
It disclosed this through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission during a meeting with investors/owners of Discos in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry in Lagos State.
The lack of adequate meters has remained an issue in the power sector, as power distributors are still finding it tough to meter consumers in their various franchise areas, hence, have resorted to over-billing end users by issuing estimated bills.
On Monday, for instance, The PUNCH exclusively reported that power distribution companies overbilled about 7.1 million unmetered electricity consumers between January and September 2023.
The report stated that in the various Regulatory Interventions for Non-Compliance with the Order on Capping of Estimated Billing to Unmetered Customers, issued to the 11 Discos by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, an agency of the Federal Government, it was established that the power distributors raked over N105bn as a result of over-billing.
But in a series of posts on its official X handle on Tuesday, NERC stated that it told the owners of Discos during the meeting in Lagos that the distribution firms were bound to provide meters, adding that this would also ameliorate the financial crisis in the sector.
The NERC Chairman, Sanusi Garba, while explaining the k
“Customers want to pay for what they consume. It is the single most prevalent complaint of consumers. We cannot overlook the value of metering in the value chain, and we will continue to focus on how to close the gap because customers do not want to pay on the basis of estimated bills.”
Also speaking at the meeting, the Team Lead (Power), Office of the Special Adviser on Energy to the President, Eriye Onagoruwa, decried the huge metering gap in the power sector.
“There is a huge metering gap that needs to be bridged. The Presidential Metering Initiative is looking at bulk procurement of smart meters, developing homegrown systems of MDMS, reduction of ATC&C losses to globally accepted standards, and stakeholder engagement to identify challenges facing the sector, while carrying metering manufacturers along without compromising on cost, quality and delivery,” she stated.
Over seven million registered power users in the NESI are unmetered and are being charged estimated bills by the power 11 distribution companies.
On his part, the Commissioner, Finance and Management Services, NERC, Nathan Rogers, explained what customers should know with respect to the payment for meters.
He said, “Customers should not pay for meters when you (Discos) don’t have meters in stock. If you collect customers’ money, then you have to install meters for them at no additional cost regardless of when you install it,” he stated.
Rogers reminded the Discos that they cannot increase the meter price for customers that have already paidey role of metering in addressing some of the challenges in the NESI, was quoted as saying, “Metering is an issue. Without metering, the issue of liquidity will not be resolved.
He said, “NERC expects Discos to meter paid customers within 10 days. Currently, there is a communication gap with customers. Once they pay, you need to communicate with them and give them an installation date. Instead, the customer pays, hears nothing and continues to wait in perpetuity.”
The failure of Discos to provide meters had made the regulator put a cap on the amount that each power distributor should bill any particular customer in any given location.
But the Discos have been floating this order by the regulator, leading to the recent sanction against the power firms by NERC.
It was reported on Saturday that the power sector regulator declared that it would deduct N10,505,286,072 from the annual allowed revenues of the 11 power distribution companies during the next tariff review as part of sanctions over their non-compliance with the capping of estimated bills for unmetered customers.
NERC stressed that the billing of unmetered customers by the power firms in their various franchise areas for 2023 revealed non-compliance with the monthly energy caps issued by the commission.
The regulator often issues orders stipulating the maximum amount that any unmetered customer is meant to pay to the distribution company that provides him or her electricity services.
The amount is continued until the customer is metered by the distribution company, according to NERC’s order to the power firms.
In its order, as reported on Saturday, the regulator said, “The public may recall that in 2020, the commission issued the order on Capping of Estimated Bills (Order No: NERC/197/2020) and subsequently issued monthly energy caps which aimed to align the estimated bills for unmetered customers with the measured consumption of metered customers on the same supply feeder.
“A review of the electricity distribution companies’ billing of unmetered customers for 2023 has revealed non-compliance with the monthly energy caps issued by the commission.”
In response to this and in a bid to safeguard unmetered customers from arbitrary billing by Discos, the commission stated that pursuant to Section 34(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 2023, it had issued the order on Non-Compliance with Capping of Estimated Bills (Order No: NERC/2024/004-01 4).It said the order stipulates the following: “
It said the order stipulates the following: “i. Credit adjustment to customers: Discos are to issue credit adjustments to all over-billed unmetered customers for the period January to September 2023 by the March 2024 billing cycle.
“ii. Public notice: Discos have been directed to publish the list of credit adjustment beneficiaries in two national dailies and on their website no later than March 31, 2024.
“iii, Regulatory sanctions: The commission shall deduct a sum of N10,505,286,072 from the annual allowed revenues of the 11 Discos during the next tariff review, to deter future non-compliance with the energy caps approved by the commission.”
Electricity consumers nationwide have continued to lodge complaints against excessive estimated bills by power distribution companies in Nigeria.
The PUNCH, for instance, exclusively reported on December 31, 2023, that power consumers lodged a total of 333,947 complaints bordering on metering, billing and service interruption to their various distribution companies within a period of three months.
The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said
The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.
The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.
The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.
According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.
Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.
He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.
The Anambra State Government has clarified that its indefinite ban on graduation ceremonies applies to all kindergarten, primary and secondary schools across the state, except for students completing Senior Secondary School (SS3).
The clarification was contained in a press statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor, following what the government described as public enquiries and concerns over the directive.
According to the government, Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the suspension of graduation ceremonies to reduce the financial burden imposed on parents by schools.
“The essence is to reduce the financial burden on parents,” the commissioner said.
The government explained that the ban covers all forms of graduation-related events, including “passing out,” “cross over,” and any similar ceremonies organised by schools.
Mefor further stated that the directive applies to both public and private schools operating in Anambra State.
However, he noted that students graduating from Senior Secondary School (SS3) are exempted from the ban.
The commissioner stressed that graduation ceremonies for SS3 students remain optional and, where organised, must not involve any levies or financial demands on students or their parents.
“Graduation ceremonies for students exiting Senior Secondary School are optional and, where carried out, must be conducted without any form of levy or financial demand on students and parents,” he said.
The state government also warned that school proprietors and administrators who violate the directive would face severe consequences.
“Any school management found in violation of this directive will face serious sanctions, which may include the closure of such school,” Mefor stated.
The clarification followed widespread reactions after the state government announced the suspension of graduation ceremonies, with many parents and school owners seeking details on the categories of schools affected and whether any exceptions would be allowed.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, in October 2025, banned graduation ceremonies and Christmas parties in schools across the state as part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on parents and guardians.
The governor said the policy was designed to make education more affordable and equitable for families while discouraging unnecessary expenses associated with school activities.
Expressing concern over what he described as avoidable financial pressure on parents, Soludo had also directed schools to discontinue the use of textbooks designed for pupils to write in.
“This is to owners and administrators of government, private, and mission schools in Anambra: we have set out some basic standards to ensure that the poor are not made to spend so much just because their children are in school.
“One of the measures includes discontinuing the use of textbooks designed for students to write in. This practice forces parents to buy new textbooks annually.
“Once a child finishes a class, he should be able to pass on his textbooks to his younger siblings,” the governor had said.
At least, one person has been confirmed dead leaving others with different categories of injury, following an early-morning multiple-car crash along the Kara Bridge, inward Mowe/Ibafo on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which left hundreds of motorists stranded and grounded economic activities.
In a detailed report of the incident, the FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, said the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan, involving five articulated trucks and one Toyota Sienna vehicle.
The FRSC report also said rescue and recovery operations were ongoing when another crash occurred at the inbound carriageway towards Lagos involving a commercial bus.
It added that Lagos State Traffic Management Agency LASTMA officials, FRSC officials, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, and police operatives were on the ground to manage the situation. Tow trucks were also present as officials continued recovery operations.
-
Health & Wellness11 months agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
News12 months agoPICTURE: In Lagos Couple Sentenced to 22½ Years for Cannabis Trafficking
-
Trending News11 months agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
-
Business4 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
International News4 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business2 years agoHeritage Bank Customers’ Path to Securing ₦5m Insured Funds: A Step-By-Step Guide by NDIC”
-
Business4 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price