Electricity consumers willing to pay for meters will have to incur higher costs beginning from November 15, 2021 as the Federal Government has increased the prices of both single-phase and three-phase meters.

But consumers have kicked against the move and wondered why there would be an increase in the prices of meters when the government had announced last year that it was providing free meters to them.

The government announced the meter price increase in a circular dated November 11, 2021, issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and addressed to managing directors, all electricity distribution companies and all meter asset providers.

The circular, with reference number NERC/REG/MAP/GEN/751/2, was entitled ‘Review of the unit price of end-use meters under the Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations’.

In the document, the regulator raised the price of a single-phase meter from N44,896.17 to N58,661.69, and that of a three-phase meter from N82,855.19 to N109,684.36.

The NERC had in June last year approved a hike in the prices of meters. It increased the price of a three-phase meter from N67,055.85 to N82,855.19 at the time, while that of a single-phase meter was raised from N36,991.50 to N44,896.17.

Explaining why it raised the price of meters again this year, the commission said the development was due to the macro-economic parameters in the country.

“Pursuant to the provisions of the Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations, the NERC note the recent changes in macro-economic parameters and hereby approve an upward review of the unit price of meters,” it said.

According to NERC, all prices are exclusive of Value Added Tax.

It said in arriving at the approved unit price, the commission had, in particular, only considered changes in foreign exchange and inflation since the last review of June 2020.

“This price review is subject to change upon the conclusion of the procurement process under phase 1 of the National Mass Metering Programme. This price review is effective from November 15, 2021,” the NERC said in the circular, which was signed by its Chairman, Sanusi Garba.

Going by the latest development, some of the nearly seven million customers without meters would have to pay for meters.

The Federal Government had said late last month that it provided about one million free meters for electricity consumers in the past 10 months under its NMMP.

It also revealed that the number of unmetered power users in Nigeria had increased by about two million, while the metering gap at the start of the NMMP in 2020 was about six million.


The Special Assistant to the President on Infrastructure, Ahmed Zakari, disclosed this during a live television interview session monitored in Abuja.

Reacting to the latest announcement by NERC, the National Secretary, Nigeria Electricity Consumers Advocacy Network, Uket Obonga, described the development as confusing.

He said, “How do you distinguish between the meters you pay for under MAP and under NMMP, which are meant to be free because the CBN is funding it? I ask because there is no difference.

“Majority of the Discos are selling the free meters provided by NMMP and classifying them as MAP meters. So, the question is: which category of meters will be affected by this price increase?”

Obonga added. “I had a customer engagement programme recently in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and customers confronted me with receipts of payments for meters that were meant to the free. So, there is no distinction between NMMP free meters and MAP meters that should be paid for.

“The free meters are being sold by Discos under MAP. So how do you increase when we cannot even differentiate which is which? You hardly get free meters; people are paying for them. So, this move should be kicked against.”

An industry expert and legal practitioner, Kunle Olubiyo, said the government should reintroduce or modify the Credit Advance Payment for Metering Implementation scheme, introduced in 2013 to allow customers to be repaid by Discos when they purchase meters.


Olubiyo, who is also the president of Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, said, “We’ve had about five metering schemes with different models that have been changing.

“But the way to go is for us to rejig, recalibrate or go back to the CAPMI. Whatever we have, whether it is MAP or NMMP, we should harmonise or synchronise them and have it as a rebranded model of the CAPMI.”

He added, “It is a disservice to power users that we don’t have a sound working metering system up till now. Since customers are not equity stakeholders in the share of Discos, they cannot invest in the businesses of these Discos.

“So if we pay for meters, which we are not supposed to do, they must refund us back the money as allowed in the CAPMI model. Also, the regulator must be seen to be firm in this matter.”

But the presidential aide, on Friday, maintained that meters are free under the NMMP, stressing that customers who get meters under the mass metering programme would not be affected by the change.

“This change in price does not impact a consumer that obtains a meter under NMMP,” Zakari said.

According to him, the regulation is clear and that even if one decides to pay, there will be a refund process.

He said 90 per cent of meters in the market would go through NMMP in the near term.

Also commenting on the hike in meter prices, the President, Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria, James Chijioke, wondered why the government and its agencies were aggravating the plights of power users.

The legal practitioner said, “ECAN is deeply concerned with the increase in the cost of prepaid meters despite the current hardship faced by consumers nationwide. We believe that NERC should look at the implementation of policies that will help stabilise consumers not the ones that aggravate the burden and price electricity out of the reach of low-income earners.

“And this is happening when there is no commensurate increase in salary and income, thereby creating more hardship. This will affect the overall productivity and economy of the nation. We believe this policy is wrongly timed.”

Source: https://punchng.com/Consumers-kick-as-FG-raises-prices-of-prepaid-meters

It can never be well with this Government...

This government is very heartless and insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.Posterity will judge baba buhari with all his sycophantic ,asslicking supporters.

Are the meters even available? Niverians please prepare for tougher days ahead

Government is confused. They issued free meters for last six months, now coming up to sell at huge price and recoup back money spent on free meters.

This country nawa o, we have been scammed

The corrupt Phcn operatives will also jack up their own illegal prices.
The suffering continues..

Hm

I remember wen dey rebranded, packaged n deceived us with dier "change" during 2015, so many people doubted n called dm scammers n deceivers but non tot it would b worst like dis..
its almost 6 years of rulling n dey av delivered dier promise of taking us from poverty to penury...
every commodity in the country keeps rising BT d standard of living n poverty keeps reducing..
I just pray we dnt mk such mistake again in d next polls bcox dis devil dt we all av seen may b better dan d "next angel" dt dey are currently packaging..

The ball is now in my court.



I really don’t understand why the government is hellbent on frustrating the citizens.

No light, yet them day increase money for meter


This is my room, no light for 3 days now. I day leave door open sleep make heat no kill me.

Ah nothing remain again

This scam called Nigerian is completely finished, people are just suffering and smiling, thanks to Buhari and his deluded followers.

lol you go kick tire...

Yahoo boiz should go and enrol in Abuja. Thesse people are grandscammers

“Pursuant to the provisions of the Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations, the NERC note the recent changes in macro-economic parameters and hereby approve an upward review of the unit price of meters,” it said.

But the government said they are working and the macro economic index is better than the previous government. Going by the government's assertion isn't the price supposed to come down lower instead of going higher?

Very confused set of government, they secretly increased the tariff without letting people know, if not that I worked as a facility manager, which I have to calculate the usage for tenants, I wouldn't know it was increased....

Now they increased ordinary meter that doesn't last long to withstand the test of time....

Very selfish government...

That's their way. I am not surprised.
The only thing they know how to do very well is to increase the sufferings of the masses.
Never have I seen or heard of a democratic government that has weaponised poverty as this one.

after paying for d Meters ..it will take like 6 to 8 years before it will be given to you ..if at all it will even be given. .. Nigeria z doom

U want to increase something that is already high. I wonder why the idiot we call a president is still not impeached.

Our leaders will not kill us, in my 1 room self-contain I pay 15000 monthly

Meters are not personal property, if so, why tell people to pay for it?

Bad people! Bad nation! Worst leaders!

Those clown shouted change
One big clown said lagoon things for igbo
Igbo were called wailers
Lagos and environs called themselves sophisticated
Igbo were hated for saying the truth and seeing the future
Some old clowns went to Freedom Park Ojota to go and amuse themselves saying it is protest

Now enjoy the change and sophistication...
We have to get used to the fact that in life we don't have free launch and we have to pay for services

Crazies everywhere

If una kick finish una go unkick... A people deserve the leaders they get

My hatred for this country now is second to none! I just dey wish say i be one kind deadly assassin, many people for this present regime for don go down

God knows why he made me a responsible man

Consumer kick,Shey them be feotus in the womb?why kick?you voted for APC,so enjoy the change

adenigga:



Source: https://punchng.com/Consumers-kick-as-FG-raises-prices-of-prepaid-meters

Life sentence for all scammers . . . including paternity fraudsters!

Them dey raise price dem no dey raise salary ...salary earners dey try oo

.

Barbeque griller still buys prepaid unit at a lesser price with his APC membership card.



E go reach everybody ,you must hiss before you buy anything.