As from June 1, 2012 electricity consumers in the country will no longer pay for electricity metre supplied to them by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) commissioner in charge of government and consumer affairs, Dr. Abba Ibrahim made this disclosure in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday at a forum organised for electricity consumers, suppliers and regulators.

He said that Nigerian electricity consumers would no longer be required to pay for electricity metre when the new tariff order takes effect on June 1, 2012.

He pointed out that electricity metre, technically, belongs to PHCN, adding that PHCN would provide metre for everybody.

Ibrahim, who said the beauty of the new electricity tariff order was the segregation of consumers into several classes, adding that the commission had a target  period of 18 months for every electricity consumer to be provided with metre.

He advised Nigerians to go for pre-paid metre, adding that they would not have to pay anything when there was no service.

The NERC boss said President Goodluck Jonathan had approved a subsidy of N50 billion to be applied specifically for  consumers in low income cadre as well as commercial category including welders, hairdressers etc.