ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed electricity distribution companies to refund a total of N20.33bn owed to customers for meters purchased under the Meter Asset Provider framework.
According to the regulator, the outstanding sum must be recovered and paid back to affected customers within 12 months, beginning March 1, 2026.
Under the MAP scheme, customers finance the purchase of meters upfront and are reimbursed by their respective DisCos through energy credits.
However, the commission observed that repayments have progressed at a sluggish pace over the years, prompting fresh regulatory action.
The new directive, Order No: NERC/2026/025, revises the 2023 order on meter cost reimbursement. It was endorsed on February 27, 2026, by NERC Chairman, Musiliu Oseni, and the Commissioner for Legal, Licensing & Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye.
NERC disclosed that as of December 31, 2025, DisCos had not refunded customers for meters acquired under the MAP arrangement, resulting in an outstanding liability of N20.33bn.
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“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 N20.33bn to reimburse customers for meters procured under the MAP framework as at 31 December 2025,” the order stated.
The commission explained that the directive aims to curb persistent delays, improve customer communication, and reinforce trust and credibility within the power sector.
Under the revised order, all reimbursements are to be processed automatically through customers accounts.
“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 said.
The regulator further clarified that reimbursement credits must not be used to settle existing customer debts.
“DisCos shall not offset meter reimbursement credits against customer legacy debts; the items must be treated separately,” the order stated.
For prepaid customers, DisCos are required to automatically generate monthly tokens reflecting the reimbursement amount.
Postpaid customers, on the other hand, must see the refund listed clearly as a separate credit item on their monthly bills.
NERC stated, “For customers with prepaid meters, no later than the 4th day of every month, the DisCo’s billing system will automatically generate a token with an 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 for the customer.
“For post-paid customers, 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.”
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To clear the N20.33bn backlog, DisCos have been instructed to fast-track repayments over a 12-month period. Prepaid customers will receive two tokens monthly, while postpaid customers will see two separate reimbursement entries on their bills.
“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.
The commission also introduced stricter monitoring measures, including compulsory monthly compliance reports and the creation of a dedicated complaints channel for customers yet to receive their refunds.
“All DisCos shall file monthly reports with the Commission detailing the total monetary value of the reimbursement to customers through energy credit, in accordance with the template approved by the Commission.
“All DisCos shall establish a dedicated email address for the receipt of complaints from customers who have not received MAP meter cost reimbursements. Details of such complaints, including the status of their resolution, shall form part of the monthly compliance reports submitted to the commission,” it added.