Lagos Moves to Criminalize Estimated Billing for Electricity

The Lagos State government is taking steps to criminalize the supply of electricity without meters, as outlined in the Lagos Electricity Market Report for 2025. This initiative comes in response to an alarming power supply deficit of approximately 11,000 megawatts, with the state's average electricity demand reaching 12,000MW while actual grid supply remains below 1,000MW.

The Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LSERC) plans to enforce compulsory meter installation starting in 2026, focusing on the deployment of smart meters to ensure fair billing and protect consumers. Currently, 55.37% of electricity consumers in Nigeria are unmetered, leading to widespread grievances over estimated billing.

The report also highlights that Lagos, which contributes 30% to Nigeria's GDP, faces a massive electricity shortfall, compelling the state to push for renewable energy investments. The LSERC aims to improve compliance and service delivery among electricity distribution companies, with a target of achieving a minimum of 20 hours of daily electricity supply for consumers.