‘NERC permits customers to pay for meters, get refund later’

The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has said one of the approved metering schemes by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) permits customers to instantly pay for the meters installed by Meter Assets Providers (MAPs) and get refunds later.

ANED’s Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Barr. Sunny Oduntan, stated this on Monday said under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations – NERC-R-11-2021, there are two metering programmes, which are the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the Meter Asset Provider (MAP).

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NMMP is a policy intervention by the federal government, with funding from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) since 2021 where meters are provided free to customers and as loans to the electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). Through this, one million meters were installed as of October 2021 under Phase Zero while 4 million meters would be installed in Phase I starting shortly.

The MAP was approved by NERC in 2018 for customers who are unwilling to wait for the availability of meters under the NMMP.

“Such customers can pay for a meter under the scheme. The amount paid by the customer will be amortised and refunded over a 36-month period via energy credits,” said Oduntan.

He said the MAP channel offers instant installation of meters and so customers are opting for that but that they will get refunds.

“Ultimately, the meter is free to the customer, via the energy credits. It is important to clarify that the DisCos are operating within the regulatory guidelines established by their regulator, NERC, relative to meeting customer metering requirements,” Oduntan added.