NERC orders electricity distribution companies to refund ₦20.33bn to customers who paid for meters under the MAP scheme. Refunds will begin March 2026 through automated energy credits.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ruled in favour of electricity consumers, directing power distribution companies to refund ₦20.33 billion owed to customers who paid for electricity meters under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
The directive, contained in Order No: NERC/2026/025, was issued on February 27, 2026, and signed by NERC Chairman Musiliu Oseni and the Commission’s Legal, Licensing and Compliance Commissioner Dafe Akpeneye.
Under the new order, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) must begin reimbursing affected customers from March 1, 2026, with the entire outstanding amount expected to be repaid within 12 months.
Why NERC Issued the New Order
The MAP framework allows electricity consumers to pay upfront for meters supplied by approved providers, after which distribution companies refund the cost through energy credits over time.
However, NERC noted that refunds have been extremely slow, leaving billions of naira unpaid to customers.
According to the regulator, as of December 31, 2025, DisCos still owed consumers ₦20.33 billion in unpaid meter reimbursements.
The commission said the new order aims to:
- Prevent further delays in refunds
- Improve transparency in customer notifications
- Restore confidence in the Nigerian electricity sector
How Customers Will Receive Their Refunds
NERC directed that all meter reimbursement processes must now be fully automated within DisCos’ billing systems.
This means:
- The full cost of the MAP meter must be recorded as credit in the customer’s account once the meter is activated.
- The refund will be paid as monthly energy credits during the approved repayment period.
The regulator also emphasized that DisCos cannot deduct meter reimbursement credits from customers’ previous electricity debts.
What Prepaid and Postpaid Customers Should Expect
For prepaid meter users, distribution companies must automatically generate monthly electricity tokens equivalent to the reimbursement amount.
These tokens must be issued no later than the fourth day of every month.
For postpaid customers, the reimbursement will appear as a separate credit line on monthly electricity bills, reducing the amount they need to pay.
Special Plan to Clear ₦20.33bn Arrears
To settle the outstanding debt faster, NERC instructed DisCos to accelerate reimbursements over a 12-month period.
As part of the plan:
- Prepaid customers will receive two tokens monthly representing the refund.
- Postpaid customers will see two reimbursement entries on their electricity bills each month.
Mandatory Reporting and Customer Complaint Channels
To ensure compliance, NERC directed all electricity distribution companies to submit monthly reports detailing the total value of reimbursements paid to customers.
The companies must also create dedicated email channels where customers can lodge complaints if they do not receive their refunds.
These complaints and their resolution status must be included in the monthly compliance reports submitted to the commission.
The order is expected to improve accountability across the power sector and ensure consumers who paid for their meters finally receive their refunds.