The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has officially endorsed the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (LASERC) ongoing reforms to eliminate estimated billing.
The commission described the move as a landmark step toward transparency and consumer justice in the nation’s power sector.
In an official statement released on Monday by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC particularly welcomed LASERC’s findings in the 2025 Lagos Electricity Market Report, which support the strict enforcement of existing legal provisions mandating metering for electricity supply.
The endorsement comes as Lagos State accelerates the phased rollout of universal smart metering across its electricity market.
The FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tunji Bello, noted that estimated billing remains one of the most persistent sources of complaints from electricity consumers nationwide.
He argued that accelerating metering and improving billing transparency are essential to both consumer protection and overall market accountability.
“Estimated billing remains one of the leading sources of consumer complaints within Nigeria’s power sector,” Mr. Bello said. “Measures that accelerate metering and improve billing transparency are important to consumer protection and overall market accountability.”
Mr. Bello further emphasized that consumers have a right to be protected from unfair or unverifiable billing practices, particularly in situations where electricity consumption cannot be accurately measured.
“Effective metering promotes fairness within the electricity market. It supports accurate billing, reduces disputes, improves accountability, and gives consumers greater confidence in the system,” he added.
LASERC is currently pursuing a broad reform programme that includes the phased enforcement of compulsory metering from 2026, feeder-by-feeder deployment of universal smart meters, tighter oversight of distribution companies, improved complaint resolution standards, and enforcement action against non-compliant operators.
While commending Lagos for its leadership, the FCCPC urged other state electricity regulators and subnational governments to adopt similar consumer-focused reforms.
“Lagos has taken an important step towards improving consumer protection and accountability within the electricity sector,” Mr. Bello stated. “Other states implementing electricity market reforms should also prioritise transparent metering frameworks, effective complaint resolution systems, and clear service standards that strengthen consumer confidence and support better service delivery across the sector.”
The Commission also called on electricity distribution companies and other market participants to cooperate fully with metering initiatives, consumer protection obligations, and service quality improvement measures introduced by relevant regulatory authorities.
The FCCPC noted that the LASERC report also highlighted persistent service delivery gaps, complaint resolution performance issues, and electricity supply challenges affecting Lagos State.
According to the Commission, these findings reinforce the need for stronger consumer safeguards, sustained infrastructure investment, and continued improvements in service delivery.
Reaffirming its commitment to fair market practices, the FCCPC pledged to continue engaging with regulators and stakeholders to promote transparency, accountability, and improved service standards across Nigeria’s electricity sector.
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