Electricity consumers across Nigeria are set to receive refunds totalling ₦20.33 billion as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to reimburse outstanding meter costs paid by customers.

The directive is contained in Order No: NERC/2026/025, which amends an earlier 2023 order and was signed on February 27, 2026, by the Commission’s Chairman, Musiliu Oseni, and the Commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye.

Under the new order, DisCos are mandated to recover and fully disburse the ₦20.33bn owed to customers over a 12-month period beginning March 1, 2026. The refunds relate to meters procured by customers under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework, which allows customers to pay upfront for meters and receive reimbursement through energy credits.

NERC noted that despite the framework, reimbursements by DisCos have been persistently slow. As of December 31, 2025, the Commission found that DisCos had failed to refund customers for meters purchased under the MAP scheme, leaving an outstanding liability of ₦20.33bn.

The Commission explained that the new order is designed to curb further delays, improve customer awareness, and enhance credibility and confidence in the electricity sector. It stressed that reimbursement for MAP meters must now be fully automated on customer accounts.

According to NERC, DisCos must recognise the full cost of a MAP meter as a credit upon meter activation and disburse it automatically as monthly energy credits over the approved amortisation period. The order further emphasised that meter reimbursement credits must not be offset against customers’ legacy debts.

“For prepaid customers, the billing system shall automatically generate monthly tokens representing the reimbursement, while post-paid customers must see the refund reflected as a distinct credit line item on their bills,” the Commission stated.

NERC also directed DisCos to submit monthly compliance reports detailing reimbursements made and to establish dedicated email channels for customers who have not received their MAP refunds. These complaints and their resolution status are to be included in the monthly reports.

To clear the arrears, the Commission ordered DisCos to accelerate repayments over 12 months, noting that affected prepaid customers will receive two reimbursement tokens monthly, while post-paid customers will receive two reimbursement credit entries on their bills until the ₦20.33bn backlog is fully cleared.