₦airaland Forum

Electricity consumers will pay a fine of no less than N100,000 if they bypass their prepaid meters or engage in illegal connection, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said.

This was contained in an amended order on unauthorised access, meter tampering and y-pass released on Tuesday.

The fines range between N100,000 and N300,000, depending on the category the customer belongs to.

Maximum demand customers are to pay between 450 and 600 per cent of their last recorded energy consumption if caught in the act of energy theft.
According to the NERC, the Amended Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass replaces Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017 and has taken effect from January 22, 2025.

The regulator disclosed that the amendment aligns with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations 2023, which allow distribution companies to disconnect unauthorised connections without notice and prescribe reconnection conditions.

The order, it was said, aims to reduce unauthorised access to electricity, meter tampering, and by-pass.

It is also to establish transparent reconnection guidelines to ensure compliance.

“Customers who bypass meters or gain unauthorised access must pay administrative charges (including meter replacement costs) and reconnection,” the order stated.

It emphasised that any customer who gains unauthorised access to electricity through tampering or meter by-pass will be reconnected upon payment of the administrative charges including meter replacement cost.

For non-maximum demand single-phase residential customers, the first offence attracts N100,000 and the subsequent offence attracts N150,000.

Also, non-maximum demand three-phase will pay a fine of N200,000 for the first offence and N300,000 for subsequent ones.

Similarly, maximum demand customers are to pay 450 per cent of their last recorded consumption and 600 per cent of it for the first and subsequent offences respectively.

Recently, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company lamented the rise in energy theft.

The DisCo threatened that offenders caught in the act of energy theft would be immediately charged to court, reiterating that the era of merely imposing loss of revenue penalty alone on offenders is over.

Ikeja Electric’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kingsley Okotie, lamented the increase in energy theft, especially following the implementation of the reviewed tariff on Band A feeders.

“The theft is massive and the company cannot guarantee meeting customer expectations if this ugly trend continues. Ironically, some perpetrators believe that if they haven’t been caught, there are no consequences. This is false, and we must change the narrative,” he said.

Okotie stated that for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry to survive, all stakeholders must fight in unison against theft, as the pilfering of electricity hinders the stability of the sector.

Similarly, the spokesperson of Eko Disco, Babatunde Lasaki, identified energy theft, which includes meter bypass and tampering, illegal connections, and tampering with electrical infrastructure, as a significant challenge facing Nigeria’s power sector.

According to Lasaki, these unlawful activities result in a substantial loss of revenue annually, ultimately affecting the company’s ability to invest in network improvements and provide quality service to paying customers.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of EKEDC, Mrs Rekhiat Momoh, appealed to customers to support the organisation in its move to eradicate energy theft and other associated illegal activities hindering its growth.

Momoh said, “Energy theft is a menace that we need to eliminate in our network and the power sector. We lose billions annually to it and it affects our ability to invest in network expansion and infrastructure upgrades required to bring the desired stable power supply.”

Source: https://punchng.com/electricity-consumers-to-pay-fines-for-illegal-connection-meter-by-pass

Toh

helinues:
Toh

Hehehe Yoruba on ya mandate

The fine should be very heavy. Its stealing

Those asking what of politicians? If you like go and steal and when they catch you, ask that question

If you don't pay your bills, how will discos pay gencos and how will gencos pay gas producers

Irrespective of the corruption in the system, learn to live a life of integrity, never bypass your meters. If you don't have money to recharge often, stop using ACs and other heavy power consumption equipment.

Live within your means.

helinues:
Toh

culprit

Fine is not new in that sector. Their staff will sabotage it. Some collect N50k upwards. During general enforcement exercise it may be difficult to pocket such money. They have terrible staff, some of them during installation of meters will tell the house owner that they can help them do bypass. Yet, the same will sell them out much later. Bypass will reduce significantly by installing meters on the electricity polls.

No shortcut.

When a company is not strong enough, it should not start at all. Why should bypassing be possible at all in the first place? Nigeria is just an anyhow place abeg.

What is the penalty for their member of staff who abeits such behaviour? I think they should start from them.

DISCOs imposing fines, who will hold them for their own criminal acts?

Imagine being charged for power when you haven't connected at all. Or rather the insane estimated bills they reap people off with, paying for utter darkness! That's why most times I don't blame those that japa, so many injustices and corrupt practices have been normalized.

What is the penalty for migrating my area to band A whereas we ought to be on band C??
Misplaced priority from the regulator.

Simongm:
What is the penalty for migrating my area to band A whereas we ought to be on band C??
Misplaced priority from the regulator.

U no want 24hrs light again?

Simongm:
What is the penalty for migrating my area to band A whereas we ought to be on band C??
Misplaced priority from the regulator.

this people are stupid whalai!

Ahmback:
culprit

I'm here, they can't catch me, never

Consequences Nepa has to pay for giving people bill of almost 70k in postpaid despite not consuming up to 2k.

Person dey only use TV, fan and bulb yet Nepa dey bill am almost 70k

You no just get sense, which one is Yoruba on your mandate? Nah Yoruba say make you steal? Mtchewww.

Ewabokian:
Hehehe Yoruba on ya mandate

Lol😂

Bittersweetnig:
I'm here, they can't catch me, never

My guy.. Give us small expo na 😀😀

Zionmdde:
The fine should be very heavy. Its stealing

Its telling that consumers have zero protection. It's stealing when they fail to provide meters to every household in Nigeria, yet they come to collect bills. It's also stealing when they estimate bills for those they fail to provide meter for knowing fully well they provide next to zero electricity. I wish we have company's who will give long term loans for solar make person forget NEPA existence

bobbiiee:
Fine is not new in that sector. Their staff will sabotage it. Some collect N50k upwards. During general enforcement exercise it may be difficult to pocket such money. They have terrible staff, some of them during installation of meters will tell the house owner that they can help them do bypass. Yet, the same will sell them out much later. Bypass will reduce significantly by installing meters on the electricity polls.

Still talking bout polls in the 2025? Thought you'd say underground pipelines

You don't have right to impose penalty against electricity theft.

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/electricity-consumers-to-pay-fines-for-illegal-connection-meter-by-pass

Nothing new

Nigeria is a lawless country ..... The company do not care about how customers get what they pay for . They will never repair or replace faulty transformers yet can migrate you from band E to A claiming that the supply to your area is stable... But how can we enjoy stable supply with bad transformers and poor wire network? Another issue is that no matter how low your current is, your prepaid meter is still reading for what can hardly power your appliances.

Ok

For you buying meter with your own personal money is it not corruption ?

The high cost of electricity is fraud.
Segmentation of electricity.
Band A
This is theft

They have always had the fine but the problem is with similar problems in Nigeria having incorruptible enforcers who will collect 10k into their personal pockets such that the deterrent factor is non existent.



having

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/electricity-consumers-to-pay-fines-for-illegal-connection-meter-by-pass

Metre by pass is mostly done by rich men.
Starting from aso rock to politicians houses. All of them do that.

It's stealing when they fail to provide meters to every household in Nigeria