The fines for power consumers who tamper with their meters, bypass, and commit other offenses have been raised by the Nigerian Power Regulatory Commission (NERC). Customers who are detected tampering with their meters will be subject to severe financial penalties as a result of this review.

The first-time fine for non-Maximum Demand (MD) meters is N200,000 for three-phase meters and N100,000 for single-phase meters. Higher fines of N150,000 and N300,000 will be imposed for subsequent infractions, respectively.

Though subsequent offenders may be required to pay up to 600 percent of their last recorded consumption, the commission set a maximum demand cap of 450 percent of last recorded consumption for first-time offenders.

In addition, NERC stated that MD and non-MD customers who violated the aforementioned rules would be required to pay N50,000 and N10,000 in reconnection fees, respectively.

It made clear that DisCos must provide 100% of the daily energy consumption in energy credit as compensation if they are unable to reconnect a client within 48 hours of payment.

Customers who get unauthorized access must reimburse the revenue loss by back-billing at the current rate, it was also mentioned.

The updated directive establishes explicit requirements for reconnection and gives Distribution Companies (DisCos) the power to cut off unauthorized connections without warning.

Stricter enforcement will help reduce electricity theft, increase revenue collection for DisCos, and eventually improve service delivery, the commission emphasized.

In order to prevent fines and disconnection, the commission advised customers to make sure that metering requirements are followed.

DisCos have also been instructed to start awareness efforts that emphasize the necessity of regularizing power connections and inform consumers of the financial and legal repercussions of meter manipulation.

In order to improve enforcement against electricity theft and guarantee adherence to metering requirements, the commission stated that the new order, which went into effect on January 22, 2025, is in line with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection requirements (CPR) 2023.

Reducing unauthorized access to electricity, meter manipulation, and by-passing are among the amendment’s goals. establishing clear reconnection policies to guarantee adherence and discourage similar infractions in the future.

In its recently released amended Order on Unauthorized Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass, which was posted on NERC’s X account on Tuesday, the NERC made this clear.