The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned electricity distribution companies (DisCos) against flouting regulatory frameworks established to guide the sector. The Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, stated this yesterday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ meeting on electric metre issues. He argued that while it is recognised that Nigeria faced power shortages, the challenge should justify systemic abuses.
“The disregard for robust regulatory frameworks, such as the NERC Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations 2021 and the Customer Protection Regulations 2023, by DisCos is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Going forward, regulatory breaches in the industry will be met with immediate corrective action,” he said. He noted that the recent announcement by an electricity distribution company concerning the phase-out of the Unistar prepaid metre model with effect from November 14, 2024, poses another challenge for consumers, who may face undue hardship if this transition is mishandled.
While faulting the announcement, Bello observed that the process did not follow due process. “As usual, the announcement was devoid of information on whether consumers will be required to cover the cost of replacing meters. The possibility of consumers being placed on arbitrary estimated billing during this transition is also a concern, as it would violate existing rules.
This announcement has understandably caused wide.
