The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered all electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to refund a cumulative ₦20.33 billion to consumers who paid for meters under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework, in a major regulatory intervention aimed at speeding up long-overdue reimbursements.
Signed on February 27, 2026 as Order No. NERC/2026/025, the directive amends a previous 2023 order and mandates that DisCos fully recover and disburse the outstanding refunds over a 12-month period starting March 1, 2026.
Under the MAP scheme, customers who pay upfront for electricity meters are meant to receive refunds from DisCos through energy credits over time. However, NERC found that reimbursement has been excessively slow, leaving the equivalent of more than ₦20 billion unreturned as of December 31, 2025.
To ensure transparency and efficiency in the process, the regulator has ordered that refunds be automated on customer accounts. Prepaid customers will receive monthly energy tokens reflecting reimbursement, while postpaid customers will see distinct credit items on their monthly bills. DisCos are also barred from offsetting meter refund credits against customers’ legacy debts.
In addition, NERC requires monthly compliance reports from the distribution firms and has directed each to establish a dedicated complaints channel for any customers who dispute delayed or missing reimbursements.
The move is expected to bolster consumer confidence in the power sector’s regulatory framework and improve the credibility of the MAP meter reimbursement system, which has faced persistent delays in payment over recent years.
