The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has issued a stern warning to Nigerians regarding illegal electricity connections and meter bypass, announcing that violators will face substantial fines. The regulatory body stated that individuals caught engaging in such activities will be required to pay penalties ranging from N100,000 to N300,000, depending on their customer category.
This development was contained in an amended order on unauthorised access, meter tampering, and bypass, which was officially released on Tuesday. According to the order, the implementation of these new penalties is aimed at curbing illegal electricity connections and preventing revenue losses suffered by electricity distribution companies.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission noted that the Amended Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass has officially replaced the previous Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017. The new order has already taken effect as of January 22, 2025, making compliance mandatory for all electricity consumers in the country.
Furthermore, NERC disclosed that the updated regulations are in alignment with the recently enacted Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations 2023. These laws grant electricity distribution companies the authority to immediately disconnect any unauthorised connections without prior notice. The regulations also set forth conditions that must be met before reconnection can be granted to affected customers.
The Commission further explained that the primary goal of the amended order is to reduce incidents of unauthorised electricity access, illegal meter tampering, and bypassing, which have continued to impact the efficiency of the power sector. By enforcing these measures, the regulator seeks to establish clear and transparent guidelines on reconnection, ensuring that consumers adhere to the necessary legal processes when accessing electricity services.
In the statement, NERC clarified that customers who bypass meters or gain unauthorised access to electricity must pay administrative charges, which will include the cost of meter replacement and reconnection fees. These measures are intended to serve as a deterrent against such illegal practices while promoting accountability among electricity consumers.
The Commission strongly emphasised that any customer who is found guilty of gaining unauthorised access to electricity through meter tampering or bypassing will only be reconnected once they have fully settled the required administrative charges, including the cost of replacing the tampered meter. This reinforces NERC’s commitment to upholding transparency and fairness in the electricity distribution system while safeguarding the integrity of metering infrastructure across the country.