The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved a total of ₦49 billion from the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) for Distribution Companies (DisCos) to facilitate the metering of all customers under Bands A and B categories at no cost.
According to NERC, the funds are part of the MAF scheme, designed to accelerate meter deployment, enhance service quality, and minimize revenue losses linked to energy theft and estimated billing.
The commission disclosed that ₦21 billion was released under the first tranche of the MAF scheme in April 2024, while ₦28 billion has been approved under Tranche B.
The latest directive requires DisCos to utilize the funds for the procurement and installation of meters for unmetered Band A and B customers within their franchise areas. NERC emphasized that all meters procured under the MAF framework will be provided at no cost to customers.
To ensure local content input, Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) are mandated to provide evidence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a local meter manufacturer or assembler for the fulfillment of a minimum 30% local content threshold.
The commission also addressed controversies over meter relocation, stating that DisCos shall bear the cost of relocating an existing customer’s connection point to a pole or high wall to ensure revenue protection.
NERC’s Order becomes effective on October 6, 2025, and may be amended or revoked by subsequent orders.
Spark News Naija reports that the MAF aims to establish a credible revenue stream from market collections, which can serve as leverage for utilities to secure long-term financing.