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The short answer
Under NERC's revised Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering and By-pass, effective 22 January 2025 as reported by TheCable, the administrative charge (including meter replacement) for a non-MD single-phase customer cannot exceed ₦100,000 for a first offence and ₦150,000 after that, plus a ₦10,000 reconnection fee and back-billing for lost energy. BEDC must reconnect within 48 hours of payment or credit you with a day's consumption.
Meter bypass means routing power around the meter so that some or all of what you use is not recorded. Tampering covers opening, damaging or adjusting the meter. Both are treated as energy theft, and BEDC, like every DisCo regulated by NERC, can disconnect the premises. What it can charge you to come back on is capped by NERC, which gives customers a fixed reference point when a field team quotes a figure.
The NERC caps that apply to BEDC
NERC revised its Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering and By-pass with effect from 22 January 2025. TheCable reported the figures on 18 February 2025. The charges below are maximums: the order says they "shall not exceed" these amounts, and they include meter replacement.
| Customer type | First offence (max) | Subsequent offence (max) | Reconnection fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-MD single-phase | ₦100,000 | ₦150,000 | ₦10,000 |
| Non-MD three-phase | ₦200,000 | ₦300,000 | ₦10,000 |
| Maximum demand (MD) | 450% of last consumption | 600% of last recorded consumption | ₦50,000 |
On top of the administrative charge, the customer pays for lost revenue through back-billing at the prevailing tariff. The news report does not state how many months BEDC can back-bill, so ask BEDC to show you how the figure was worked out and which period it covers.
Worked example of a total bill
Example only. A Band A single-phase customer in Benin City is found with a bypass for the first time. BEDC charges the maximum administrative charge of ₦100,000 and the ₦10,000 reconnection fee. It assesses 300 kWh of unrecorded consumption at the July 2025 Band A rate of ₦209.50 per kWh, which is ₦62,850. The total is ₦100,000 + ₦10,000 + ₦62,850 = ₦172,850. A Band B customer with the same 300 kWh assessment at ₦68.56 per kWh would owe ₦20,568 in back-billing, so ₦130,568 in total.
What counts as unauthorised access, tampering or bypass
- Wiring that carries power from the service cable to the house without passing through the meter.
- A broken, removed or replaced meter seal, or a meter cover opened without BEDC's authority.
- Any device or adjustment meant to slow or stop the meter recording.
- Reconnecting yourself after BEDC has disconnected the supply.
- Taking a direct connection from a pole or neighbour's supply without an account.
Bypass wiring is also a serious safety risk. It is usually done without proper protection, and it can overheat cables, start fires or electrocute whoever works on the line next. If you find suspicious wiring at a property you have just moved into, report it to BEDC yourself before an inspection does. A written report made first is useful evidence that you did not install it.
The reconnection process
- Ask the BEDC team for the written notice or report of what they found, including photos if taken, and the meter number.
- Ask for the charge in writing, split into administrative charge, reconnection fee and back-billing, with the period and kWh used.
- Compare the administrative charge with the NERC cap for your meter type.
- Pay only through an official BEDC channel and get a receipt with your account number.
- Keep a note of the time you paid. Under the revised order, BEDC must reconnect within 48 hours of payment or credit you with 100% of your daily energy consumption.
- If the meter is replaced, confirm the new meter number before buying tokens.
Questions to ask before you pay
Ask the team for their names and staff identification, the business unit they work from, and whether the finding will be entered on your account. Ask whether the meter will be replaced or resealed, and who will carry out the work. A clear paper trail protects you if the same issue is raised again later, and it helps if you need to show a landlord or a new tenant what was paid and why.
If you dispute the finding
Tenants are often caught by a bypass installed before they moved in, and some customers are accused when the seal was broken by someone else. You can dispute the finding. BEDC's complaints policy lists 0700 123 6660, 0700 123 5553, customercomplaints@beninelectric.com and the walk-in customer care office at your business unit, and says each complaint gets a ticket and an acknowledgement. Keep the ticket number. If BEDC's answer does not resolve it, take it to the NERC Customer Complaints Forum; our Forum offices directory and escalation guide explain how. If you rent, tell your landlord in writing at once.
In Ondo and Ekiti, regulatory oversight has moved to the state, so ask whether a state order on tampering applies before relying on the NERC caps.
What to check first
- Is your meter type non-MD single-phase, non-MD three-phase or MD?
- Is the administrative charge at or below the NERC cap?
- Does the back-billing state a period and kWh figure?
- Is the payment channel an official BEDC one?
- Has the 48-hour reconnection clock started from your payment time?
For the wider rules on disconnection and meters, see electricity customer rights in Nigeria and the national guide to NERC meter bypass rules.
Questions people ask
How much is the fine for meter bypass in BEDC?
NERC's revised order caps the administrative charge for non-MD single-phase customers at ₦100,000 for a first offence and ₦150,000 after that, plus a ₦10,000 reconnection fee and back-billing.
Can BEDC disconnect me without notice for bypass?
TheCable's report says DisCos may disconnect unauthorised connections without notice under the Electricity Act 2023 and NERC's Customer Protection Regulations 2023.
How long does BEDC have to reconnect after I pay?
48 hours from payment under the revised order. If it misses that, it must credit you with 100% of your daily energy consumption.
My landlord bypassed the meter, am I liable?
The charge attaches to the premises' account. Dispute it with BEDC in writing, keep the ticket number and tell your landlord in writing.
Sources
- TheCable: NERC introduces new penalties for bypassing electricity meters (18 Feb 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- NERC: July 2025 Supplementary Order to the MYTO 2024 for BEDC (ORDER/NERC/2025/060) · accessed Oct 2026
- BEDC Electricity Plc: Policy on Customer Complaints Management (BEDCPolicyCCU001-2024) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.