By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered electricity distribution companies to refund a total of N20.33 billion in outstanding meter costs.

This was from a judgment contained in Order No: NERC/2026/025, which amends the previous 2023 order, was signed by the NERC Chairman, Mr Musiliu Oseni, and the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing & Compliance at NERC, Mr Dafe Akpeneye, on February 27, 2026.

According to the new order, DisCos are to recover and fully disburse the fund to affected customers over 12 months from March 1, 2026.

Under the Meter Asset Provider framework (MAP) scheme, customers pay for meters and are refunded by their DisCos through energy credits.

However, the commission noted that the level of refunds had been very slow over the years, necessitating a new order.

NERC stated that, as of December 31, 2025, DisCos had failed to reimburse customers for meters procured under the MAP framework, leaving an outstanding N20.33 billion.

The order is intended to prevent repeated delays in reimbursements, optimise customer notification, and strengthen sector credibility and confidence.

“In February 2026, the commission reviewed the level of compliance of DisCos with the expected reimbursement to customers who have paid for meters under the MAP framework.

According to the new order, DisCos have an outstanding amount of N20.33 billion to reimburse customers for meters procured under the MAP framework as of December 31, 2025.

The electricity market regulator stated that all reimbursements to customers for meters procured under the MAP framework would be fully automated on customer accounts, saying, “DisCos shall ensure that the total cost of a MAP meter is recognised as credit on the customer’s account upon activation of the meter and disbursed automatically as monthly credits over the approved amortisation period.”

DisCos were also instructed that meter reimbursement credits cannot be offset against customer legacy debt.

“DisCos shall not offset meter reimbursement credits against customer legacy debts; the items must be treated separately,” the order stated.

For prepaid customers, DisCos must automatically generate monthly tokens representing the reimbursement, while for postpaid customers, the reimbursement must appear as a distinct credit on their bills.

NERC said, “For customers with prepaid meters, no later than the 4th day of every month, the DisCo’s billing system will automatically generate a token with an energy value equivalent to the monthly reimbursement which the customer is due to receive over the 120-month amortisation period based on the prevailing tariff for the customer.

“For post-paid customers, the monthly reimbursement of the cost of a MAP meter shall appear as a distinct credit line item which is expected to be subtracted from the customer’s total payable for the month.”

NERC also mandated monthly reporting and a dedicated complaints channel for affected customers.

“All DisCos shall file monthly reports with the Commission detailing the total monetary value of the reimbursement to customers through energy credit, in accordance with the template approved by the Commission.

“All DisCos shall establish a dedicated email address for the receipt of complaints from customers who have not received MAP meter cost reimbursements. Details of such complaints, including the status of their resolution, shall form part of the monthly compliance reports submitted to the commission,” it said.

To recover the N20.33 billion arrears, the firms are to accelerate repayment over 12 months. The order noted that prepaid customers will receive two tokens per month, while postpaid customers will see two reimbursement line items on their bills.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has commenced payment of February 2026 salaries to federal government workers paid through the treasury.

The office said payments began on Monday, March 2, 2026, following a brief delay caused by a technical issue in the payment system.

The office’s Director of Press and Public Relations in the OAGF, Mr Bawa Mokwa, explained that the problem responsible for the delay had been resolved and measures had been put in place to prevent a recurrence.

“The delay in the payment of the February 2026 salaries was due to a technical hitch, and it has been tackled, and necessary measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence,” Mr Mokwa said.

The development means that thousands of federal civil servants across ministries, departments and agencies will begin receiving their February salaries.

The OAGF also disclosed that it has completed the payment process for one month of the outstanding wage award arrears owed to federal workers.

According to the office, the payment was made after the necessary approval was received to begin clearing the arrears.

The statement explained that the payment represents one month out of the three months of wage award arrears still outstanding.

The wage award was introduced by the federal government under President Bola Tinubu as a temporary measure to ease financial pressure on workers following economic reforms that increased the cost of living.

In August 2025, the government began paying the second tranche of the N35,000 wage award arrears to civil servants as part of efforts to fulfil its commitments to workers.

The N35,000 monthly wage award was introduced after the removal of petrol subsidies and other economic reforms that affected household expenses across the country.

The measure was agreed during negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour as temporary support for workers while discussions on a new minimum wage structure continued.

However, concerns had recently emerged in some quarters that the government might have abandoned the wage award payments.

The Accountant-General’s office dismissed the claims, insisting that the government remains committed to settling the outstanding arrears.

“The Federal Government has not reneged on its obligation. The wage award arrears will continue to be paid in instalments of N35,000 per month until the outstanding balance is completely settled,” the statement said.

The OAGF noted that the phased payment approach would enable the government to meet its obligations to workers while managing its financial commitments.

The issue of wages and workers’ welfare has remained a major topic in discussions between the government and labour unions amid rising living costs driven by inflation and ongoing economic adjustments.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A decisive step aimed at operationalising its Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) roadmap has been taken by the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF).

Last week, the organisation organised a high-level workshop in Lagos to equip institutions with the tools, standards, and data necessary to integrate GESI into capital allocation decisions.

In attendance for this programme were investors, policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders.

The Nigeria Gender-Smart and Inclusive Capital workshop served as a critical component of the broader implementation strategy initiated after the launch of Nigeria’s Gender/GESI Roadmap at the 2025 Gender Impact Investment Summit.

“Following the landmark launch of Nigeria’s Gender/GESI Roadmap in 2025, this workshop represents the essential next strategic step in our journey towards a truly inclusive financial ecosystem,” the chief executive of IIF, Ms Etemore Glover, told participants.

“It is not enough to have a roadmap; we must now begin to operationalise it through institutional transformation that goes beyond mere policy alignment.

“This phase is critical because it moves us past advocacy and into the rigorous work of implementation, ensuring that organisations begin to intentionally deploy strategies to bridge the gaps that have historically sidelined women and marginalised groups,” she added.

Ms Glover submitted that, “With growing evidence that diverse and inclusive enterprises outperform their peers in risk management, innovation, and long-term value creation, Nigeria’s push to operationalise gender-smart investing reflects both a moral imperative and a significant market opportunity.”

A central highlight was a technical deep dive into the Gender/GESI Roadmap, presented by a Partner from PwC. The roadmap provides a structured approach to embedding gender-smart principles across the entire investment lifecycle: deal sourcing, by identifying women-led or gender-diverse enterprises; due diligence, through assessing GESI-related risks and opportunities; portfolio management, by strengthening inclusive governance; and exit strategies, which focus on ensuring long-term impact sustainability.

Investment and sustainability professionals from Verod Capital at the event shared practical strategies for embedding GESI metrics into governance systems. Additionally, a case study from Alitheia Capital illustrated how gender-lens investing drives both financial performance and measurable social impact.

Further, experts from 2X Global and Moremi Capital delivered sessions on the Foundations of Gender-Smart Investing, contextualising global standards such as the 2X Criteria for the Nigerian investment landscape.

These discussions demonstrated how investors can intentionally benefit women-led businesses, women in leadership, and women as value chain participants.

Organisations were charged with embedding gender-smart principles into their core operations to unlock Nigeria’s full economic potential, effectively turning the roadmap into the standard for investment in the nation’s future.