In a significant move to protect consumer interests, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued a directive mandating Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to refund a total of N20.33 billion to customers. This sum represents outstanding reimbursements for the cost of meters purchased by consumers under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework.
The order, which took effect on March 1, 2026, follows a regulatory review which revealed that many DisCos had failed to consistently repay customers through the promised energy credits. To rectify this backlog, NERC has introduced a strictly monitored 12-month repayment timeline and new automation requirements to ensure every affected customer is made whole.
According to the Commission, the order seeks to optimise the process of reimbursement and customer notification, thereby preventing repeated implementation delays and strengthening sector credibility and customer confidence.
“In February 2026, the Commission reviewed the level of compliance of DisCos with the expected reimbursement to customers who have paid for meters under the MAP framework. The review highlighted that DisCos have an outstanding amount of N20.33billion to reimburse customers, for meters procured under the MAP framework as at 3)†December 2025.
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“The result of the analysis is further corroborated by the volume of complaints concerning delays and deficiencies in the implementation of the reimbursement of the meter cost to customers that have been received by the Commission.
“The order seeks to optimise the process of reimbursement and customer notification, thereby preventing repeated implementation delays and strengthening sector credibility and customer confidence; Establish a timeline and process for the fast-tracked reimbursement of the accumulated outstanding meter costs for customers that procured meters under the MAP,†the order read.
The commission ordered that all reimbursements to customers shall be fully automated on customer accounts, adding that DisCos shall ensure that the total cost of a MAP meter is recognised as credit on the customer’s account upon activation of the meter and disbursed automatically as monthly credits over the approved amortisation period.
It added that DisCos shall not offset meter reimbursement credits against customer legacy debts, but shall be treated separately.
It also stated that for customers with pre-paid meters, no later than the 4th day of every month, the DisCo’s billing system will automatically generate a token with energy value equivalent to the monthly reimbursement which the customer is due to receive over the 120-month amortisation period based on the prevailing tariff.
†The token shall be sent to the telephone number and email address that are registered to the account. In addition to the monthly token, the communication sent to the customer shall also contain the initial cost of the meter purchased, the gross value of reimbursed credits applied to their accounts to date and the outstanding balance on the cost of the meter.
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For post-paid customers, the order states that the monthly reimbursement of the cost of a MAP meter shall appear as a distinct credit line item, which is expected to be subtracted from the customer’s total payable for the month.
It stated that the monthly reimbursement shall be represented in absolute Naira terms based on the 120-month amortisation schedule.
“The monthly bill issued to the post-paid customers shall also contain the initial cost of the meter purchased, the gross value of reimbursed credits applied to their accounts till date and the outstanding balance on the cost of the meter.
“To recover the sum of NGN20.33billion that was not reimbursed to customers as at 31st December 2025, DisCos shall accelerate the rate of recovery for the affected customers over a 12 (twelve) month period commencing from 1st March 2026,†it added.
