With the recent passage of the Imo State Electricity Reforms Law (Law No. 2 of 2024), and the formal transfer of regulatory oversight of Imo’s intrastate electricity market from NERC to the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC), electricity consumers in Imo State have new protections and more clearly defined rights. (Daily Post)

In this article, we explain what your rights are under the new regulations, what obligations fall on electricity providers, and what remedies you have if things go wrong.

What Legal Basis Supports Consumer Rights in Imo

• ISERC was established under the Imo State Electricity Reforms Law, 2024 (Law No.2). (ISERC)
• Among its powers, ISERC is mandated to:
  • Regulate persons involved in generation, transmission, distribution, supply and trading of electricity in the state; (ISERC)
  • Establish standards for safety, reliability, and quality of electricity supply; (ISERC)
  • Set rules regarding consumer rights and obligations—and handle complaints arising from electricity services. (ISERC)
• Effective 1 July 2024, oversight of Imo’s electricity market transferred from NERC to ISERC. (TheCable)

Your Rights as an Electricity Consumer in Imo State

Below are the key rights you now have:

1. Right to Safe, Reliable, and Quality Electricity Supply
   You are entitled to electricity delivered safely, with minimal disruptions, and meeting quality standards (voltage, frequency etc.). ISERC has the mandate to enforce quality and reliability standards. (ISERC)
2. Right to a Properly Installed and Functional Meter, and Metering Before Connection
   No new connection should happen unless a working meter is installed. Existing customers have the right to a properly functioning meter. (nerc.gov.ng)
3. Right to Transparent Billing and Estimation Methodologies
   • Bills should reflect actual consumption as recorded by the meter, or where metering is absent, follow agreed estimation standards. (FCCPC)
   • If you are billed based on an estimate, you have the right to know how that estimate was made and to contest it. If you dispute an estimated bill, you may be allowed to pay only the last undisputed bill while resolution occurs. (FCCPC)
4. Right to Notice Before Disconnection
   DisCos (Distribution Companies) must notify you in writing before disconnecting electricity supply—usually for issues like non-payment or breach of contract. They should also follow guidelines (timeframes etc.). (nerc.gov.ng)
5. Right to Refund / Compensation Where Over-Billing Occurs
   If you are overcharged, or if meter/billing errors occur, you are entitled to a refund or appropriate adjustment. (nerc.gov.ng)
6. Right to Lodge Complaints and Seek Remedies
   • There should be mechanisms to file complaints with your local DisCo. (nerc.gov.ng)
   • If unsatisfied, you can escalate to regulatory authorities—here, ISERC.
   • Remedies include investigation, correction of billing errors, reconnection after payment, and in some cases compensation or service credits. (FCCPC)
7. Right Against Being Forced to Provide Supply Infrastructure
   You (or your community) should not be forced to buy or maintain poles, transformers, or other major infrastructure necessary for electricity supply—they are the responsibility of the DisCo or the licensee. (Opinion Nigeria)

Obligations of Electricity Providers

These are some of the obligations your provider must fulfill under the new law and regulations:

• Comply with safety, reliability, and quality standards as prescribed by ISERC. (ISERC)
• Install meters before new connections and maintain them properly.
• Billing must be transparent, with clear breakdown of charges.
• Provide prior notice of outages (planned) or of disconnection for service failures or non-payment.
• Establish customer complaint units and respond to complaints in a timely manner.
• Allow dispute resolution processes, including for estimation billing.

Remedies: What to Do if Your Rights Are Violated

If you believe your rights have been violated, here are actions you can take:

Step	Action	What to Ask For / Expect
1. Raise the complaint with your DisCo	Contact the local business or customer service office. Put your complaint in writing (if possible) for record.	Written acknowledgment, timeline for response.
2. Escalate to ISERC	If the DisCo fails to resolve, or you believe their remedy is inadequate, complain to ISERC.	Investigation, correction, possibly compensation.
3. Collect evidence	Keep meter readings, bills, photographs (if relevant), notice or lack thereof, any correspondence.	Useful in proving over-billing, wrong meter behavior, or failure to provide service.
4. Know time limits and procedures	There may be deadlines for lodging complaints, or for appeal. Follow ISERC’s published procedures.	Ensures your complaint is “in time” and valid.
5. Engage consumer‐protection bodies	Federal or State consumer protection commissions may also have jurisdiction, especially if the issue violates general consumer rights laws (e.g. for fraudulent or unfair practices).	Additional leverage.
6. Public / Media / Community Forum	Use customer forums (like ISERC’s customer forums), or local media to draw attention in systemic cases.	Can pressure providers and regulators to act.

Some Practical Tips for Consumers

• Always ask for and keep your meter number and read it regularly.
• Compare your bills from month to month—big jumps should raise questions.
• Do not ignore notices—especially written ones about disconnection. Respond or seek remedy.
• Be aware of your payment options and whether you can enter into payment plans.
• Join or follow ISERC’s public forums to stay informed of changes, rights, and announcements.

Challenges & What ISERC Should Do More

While the law gives many good protections, implementation will be key. Some challenges include:

• Metering Gap ‒ many consumers still may not have functional meters, leading to estimated or arbitrary bills.
• Service Reliability ‒ even with regulation, power outages, voltage fluctuations remain a major issue.
• Dispute Resolution Capacity ‒ ensuring ISERC has enough staffing, accessible customer service units, and transparent processes.
• Awareness ‒ many consumers may not yet be aware of their rights under the new law.

ISERC can help by doing more public education, ensuring DisCos comply, auditing performance, penalizing defaulting providers, and making complaint processes simple and accessible (e.g. online, physical).

Conclusion

The passing of the Imo State Electricity Reforms Law 2024 and the transfer of regulatory oversight to ISERC mark an important milestone for electricity consumers in Imo State. For the first time, there are clearer legal protections, standards, and remedies designed to ensure electricity supply is safe, reliable, fairly billed, and responsive to your needs.

If you believe any of these rights have been infringed in your area, act: document, complain, escalate, and hold providers and regulators to account. Your rights are now written into the law—and together, with awareness and action, better service is possible for every Imolite.