The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) fined eight major DisCos N628 million for breaching billing caps on unmetered customers. Following a review of billing practices in Q3 2024, NERC ordered refunds for overbilled customers and reaffirmed its stance against estimated billing abuses to protect Nigerian electricity consumers.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has fined eight electricity distribution companies (DisCos) a combined sum of N628.03 million. The penalty targets Abuja, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola DisCos for failing to comply with regulations on estimated billing for unmetered customers.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the commission’s action followed a detailed audit of billing records between July and September 2024. The review found that the companies had billed customers beyond the energy caps set by NERC, violating directives designed to protect consumers from excessive charges.
The fines represent five percent of the total amount the companies overbilled during the quarter, NERC explained. In addition to the financial penalty, the commission ordered DisCos to apply credit adjustments to affected customers' accounts by May 15, 2025, aligning with the close of the April billing cycle.
NERC reaffirmed its commitment to consumer rights, stressing that arbitrary billing would not be tolerated. The commission reminded the public that its 2020 "Capping of Estimated Bills" order was established to ensure that unmetered customers are billed fairly, based on the actual consumption patterns of their metered neighbors.
This latest sanction is seen as part of broader efforts to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s electricity sector, where billing controversies have long fueled public frustration. The affected DisCos have not yet issued public statements regarding the fines.
