Consumers of electricity will incur a fine of at least N100,000 if they bypass their prepaid meters or partake in illegal connections, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
This information was included in a revised order concerning unauthorised access, meter tampering, and by-pass that was issued on Tuesday. The fines vary between N100,000 and N300,000, based on the category of the customer.
Customers classified as maximum demand will face charges between 450 and 600 per cent of their last recorded energy usage if found committing energy theft.
The NERC informed that the Amended Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass supersedes Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017, and is effective as of January 22, 2025.
The regulator indicated that the changes are in accordance with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations 2023, which authorize distribution companies to disconnect unauthorized connections without prior notice and outline conditions for reconnection.
The intent of the order is to curb unauthorized electricity access, meter tampering, and bypass incidents. It also seeks to establish clear reconnection procedures to ensure adherence.
“The customers who bypass meters or obtain unauthorised access are required to pay administrative fees (including costs for meter replacement) along with reconnection fees,” the order specified.
It stressed that any customer who illegally accesses electricity through tampering or bypassing their meter will be reconnected upon payment of the administrative fees, which include the cost of meter replacement.
For single-phase residential customers that are not classified as maximum demand, the penalty for the first offence is N100,000, and for subsequent offences, it rises to N150,000.
In the case of non-maximum demand three-phase customers, the fine for their first violation is N200,000, with the amount increasing to N300,000 for future offences.
For maximum-demand customers, the fines are set at 450 per cent of their last recorded consumption for the first offence and 600 per cent for further infractions.
Recently, the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company expressed concern over the growing issue of energy theft. The DisCo warned that individuals caught stealing electricity would face immediate legal action, emphasising that the practice of only imposing revenue loss penalties on offenders has ended.
