The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed the distribution companies (DISCOs), under the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), to ensure the metering of all customers’ houses within 18 months.

Eyo Ekpo, the Commissioner for Marketing, Competition and Rates of the commission, made this known on Saturday in Lagos.

He said that the commission had ordered all the DISCOs to submit their metering plans for an effective billing system, adding that the distribution companies were expected to complete the metering process between 12 months and 18 months.

“We have told them that between 12 months and 18 months, they should be able to meter all houses of their customers,” he said. “The idea is that they are not going to use their money. We expect them to bring their metering plans to us. If you plan to meter 100 customers houses in one month, you tell us where those customers are, so that we can go and cross check.

“Nigerians should understand that we are not going to meter everybody in one day.”

He said that the chief executive officers of the distribution companies had been instructed to publish their business units, with details such as telephone numbers, emails and customers’ care units.

He noted that the energy users had the right to forward their complaints to the distribution firms but that if they were not satisfied at that level, they could complain to the commission.

Ekpo said that NERC was determined to ensure greater number of meter distribution to consumers.

According to him, the law requires that CEOs establish a forum office with a sort of tribunal made up of manufacturers, engineers, civil societies and consumers to attend to public complaints.

He said that the newly reviewed electricity tariff would favour both the urban poor and rural dwellers, adding that customers under residential 1 (R1) would now pay N4 per kilowatt as against the previous amount of N7.