Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello has revealed that the commission halted a planned replacement of obsolete prepaid electricity meters after concerns emerged that consumers could be forced to pay for infrastructure failures that were not their fault.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Abuja, Bello said the commission intervened after widespread concern over the planned replacement of outdated meters used by customers of an electricity distribution company, working alongside the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency to ensure the exercise complied with regulations protecting consumers. He said the replacement was suspended pending compliance with applicable rules, a position endorsed by both regulators, with the eventual resolution guaranteeing that consumers would not pay for replacing obsolete meters, would not face supply interruptions during the process, and would not be subjected to estimated billing due to implementation delays.

Bello said the intervention demonstrated that effective consumer protection comes from regulators working together rather than competing over jurisdiction, arguing that success should be measured not just by complaints resolved but by disputes prevented before they occur. He said the Electricity Act 2023, which allows states to establish their own electricity regulators, has made institutional cooperation even more critical, since consumers simply expect protection regardless of which regulator technically holds jurisdiction when supply fails or billing disputes arise.

He said the commission had deliberately respected the sector regulator’s statutory authority throughout the intervention, describing strong regulation as built on cooperation rather than institutional rivalry, and urged electricity distribution companies to comply fully with their obligations and resolve consumer complaints promptly to strengthen confidence in the market.