Civil rights organization, Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement (ISRCA), on Wednesday, the 28th of January, 2026, urged the Nigerian government to form a dedicated monitoring team to supervise the distribution of free prepaid meters to citizens and curb potential corruption in the process.
Derrick Agberen, ISRCA’s National Coordinator, made the appeal in a statement issued in Warri.
According to the group, the federal government must show tangible commitment by directing the Ministry of Power to ensure the meters are distributed.
“To demonstrate its commitment, the federal government should instruct the Ministry of Power to distribute the meters.
“Furthermore, establishing a communication channel for real-time monitoring and feedback would facilitate effective implementation and customer engagement.
“This approach would yield benefits for consumers, who continue to incur costs for rectifying electrical faults, replacing armored cable wires, and transformers, notwithstanding the irregular electricity supply.”
ISRCA highlighted that the rollout of free prepaid meters in Nigeria faces significant challenges under the current privatized electricity distribution system, which is dominated by Nigerian monopolies.
“Would these entities permit such initiatives to materialize? This seems implausible based on ground realities, which starkly contrast official statements.
“Even distribution sector insiders suggest a lack of sincerity from the federal government.
“Therefore, enforcing this policy rather than just announcing it might be more effective, considering the prevalent extortion in the sector.
READ ALSO: FG Declares Free Meter Installation Nationwide, Warns Against Extortion
“Despite previous instances of similar directives being issued to the public, the situation remains unchanged.
“The Nigeria Senate, as the upper chamber, has indeed reiterated this stance, yet implementation poses significant challenges within the country.
“While prepaid meters are available for purchase in certain regions at ₦145,000 with an additional ₦10,000 installation fee, others offer them at ₦240,000 with a ₦30,000 installation cost.
“Allegations of extortion have emerged surrounding the free distribution of prepaid meters over the years, with claims that high-ranking federal government officials outside of DiSco may be involved,” Agberen said.