The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is urging electricity consumers to report distribution companies (DisCos) that fail to comply with the capping of estimated bills for unmetered customers. This comes after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) sanctioned 11 DisCos over non-compliance.
According to NERC, it will deduct N10.5 billion from the annual allowed revenues of the 11 power distribution companies during the next tariff review as part of sanctions over their non-compliance with the capping of estimated bills for unmetered customers. NERC disclosed that the billing of unmetered customers in their various franchise areas for 2023 revealed non-compliance with the monthly energy caps issued by the commission.
Reacting to this, FCCPC emphasized that the measure aligns with its mandate outlined in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018. The commission’s Acting Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Adamu Abdullahi, stated, “We stand in solidarity with NERC in its commitment to safeguard unmetered customers from arbitrary billing by DisCos. The capping regulation was a significant step towards ensuring fairer treatment for those without meters, and the FCCPC fully supports its enforcement.”
The FCCPC is encouraging consumers who have been shortchanged by estimated bills to lodge complaints with their respective DisCos and escalate such complaints to NERC or the FCCPC when not satisfactorily resolved. The commission also urged NERC to consider even stronger measures to deter future violations, including increased financial penalties, stricter enforcement mechanisms, and even the revocation of operating licenses for persistent offenders.
Additionally, FCCPC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a better deal for electricity consumers in Nigeria. The existing Memorandum of Understanding with NERC aims to ensure more effective protection for electricity consumers through information sharing, joint investigations, and coordinated enforcement actions.
As the sector continues to face systemic challenges such as metering gaps, billing malpractices, and inadequate customer service, the FCCPC believes that fundamental reforms are necessary to address these issues.
