On May 1, NERC Will No Longer Regulate The Prices Of Prepaid Meters

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued an order to deregulate the market for meter supply and pricing.

This decision comes after requests from Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) and other operators to review meter prices due to significant changes in foreign exchange and inflation rates since NERC’s last price review in September 2023.

These changes have affected the ability of meter providers to supply meters at the approved regulated price. In response to these challenges, NERC has approved the deregulation of meter prices under the MAP scheme, effective from May 1, 2024. Moving forward, all meter prices under the MAP scheme will be determined through a competitive bidding process, giving customers the option to choose from authorized vendors.

This deregulation aims to enable end-use customers to acquire meters from MAPs of their choice based on competitive open market prices determined through transparent bidding frameworks.

The statement indicated that all MAP permit holders are now authorized to offer services and conduct transactions related to meters and metering services with any Disco in Nigeria under their current permit.

The removal of the restriction on operating permits across all Discos is contingent upon MAPs adhering to the specific requirements and specifications of each Disco.

It is mandated that all Discos guarantee the smooth and efficient integration of smart meters installed by MAPs with the Disco’s head-end systems and meter data management systems.