Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr. Tunji Bello, on Thursday revealed that the commission successfully halted a planned replacement of obsolete prepaid electricity meters after concerns emerged that consumers could be compelled to pay for infrastructure failures that were not of their making.
Bello insisted that Nigerians should never bear the cost of replacing obsolete meters or be subjected to estimated billing during the process.
He made the disclosure at a stakeholder engagement on consumer protection and regulatory cooperation in Nigeria’s electricity sector, in Abuja.
Bello said the commission stepped in after widespread public concerns over the planned replacement of obsolete Unistar prepaid meters used by customers of one of the electricity distribution companies.
According to him, the intervention, carried out in collaboration with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), prevented consumers from being exposed to fresh financial burdens, estimated billing, and possible disruption of electricity supply during the replacement exercise.
He explained that while replacing obsolete meters was ordinarily a routine technical exercise, many electricity consumers feared they would be forced to pay for new meters, despite not being responsible for the equipment becoming obsolete.
He said consumers were also worried that delay in the replacement programme could expose them to estimated billing or interruptions in electricity supply.
Bello said, “Those concerns were understandable. At their core were issues of fairness, affordability, continuity of supply and public confidence in the institutions responsible for consumer protection.”
He said FCCPC immediately convened a meeting involving NERC, NEMSA, and all electricity distribution companies to ensure that the exercise complied with existing regulations and adequately protected consumers.
He said, “The engagement was constructive. Following deliberations, the replacement exercise was suspended pending compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, a position that was endorsed by both NERC and NEMSA.”
Bello stated that the eventual resolution was anchored on NERC’s order on the Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-user Customer Meters, which guarantees that consumers would not pay for replacing obsolete meters, would not suffer interruptions in electricity supply during the replacement process, and would not be subjected to estimated billing because of implementation delays.
According to him, “Those safeguards reflected the principle that consumers should never be disadvantaged because infrastructure has reached the end of its useful life through no fault of their own.”
Further illustrating the importance of inter-agency collaboration, the FCCPC boss said the intervention demonstrated that the most effective consumer protection came from regulators working together rather than competing over institutional mandates.
He said preventing consumer harm should remain the highest objective of regulators, adding that regulatory success should not be measured solely by the number of complaints resolved but also by the number of disputes prevented before they occur.
He said, “Consumer protection is often viewed only through the lens of resolving disputes after they arise. In reality, its greatest value lies in preventing problems before they occur, identifying risks early, resolving uncertainty and strengthening public confidence before disputes undermine trust.
“Success should therefore be measured not only by the number of complaints resolved, but also by the number of complaints prevented.”
Bello maintained that the Electricity Act, 2023, which decentralisedelectricity regulation by allowing states to establish their own electricity regulatory commissions, had made institutional cooperation even more critical.
He said electricity consumers viewed the industry as one integrated system and were unconcerned about which regulator had jurisdiction whenever supply failed or billing disputes arose.
He explained, “When supply is interrupted or a bill appears incorrect, they are not concerned about which regulator has jurisdiction. They simply expect protection. Ensuring that our institutions work seamlessly together is our responsibility, not theirs.”
He stated that the commission had deliberately respected NERC’s statutory authority throughout the obsolete meter intervention, describing it as an example of modern regulatory governance built on collaboration instead of institutional rivalry.
Bello said, “The commission respected NERC’s statutory mandate and recognised its technical expertise. We did not seek to assume the role of the sector regulator. Instead, we acted in a way that supported the existing regulatory framework and strengthened its effectiveness.
“Strong regulation is not built on institutional rivalry. It is built on cooperation, mutual respect and a shared commitment to the public interest.”
He urged electricity distribution companies and other operators in the value chain to comply fully with regulatory obligations, resolve consumer complaints promptly, and operate transparently to strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s electricity market.
He said as more State Electricity Regulatory Commissions assume responsibility for intrastate electricity markets under the Electricity Act, regulators must ensure that Nigerians enjoy the same level of protection regardless of where they live.
He said, “Our success should not be judged by how firmly we protect our individual jurisdictions, but by how effectively we work together to serve electricity consumers.
“Wherever an electricity consumer lives in Nigeria, they should have the same confidence that they will be treated fairly, that complaints will be resolved effectively, and that lawful regulatory decisions will be respected.”