The management of Ikeja Electric says it has commenced distribution of over 850,000 prepaid meters to its consumers in its six business units in Lagos.
Mr Felix Ofulue, the Head, Corporate Communications Unit, said in a statement that this was to close the metering gap within its network in a renewed commitment to satisfy the yearnings of customers.
He further disclosed that the roll out would cover residential customers across its six Business Units, in its first batch of renewed metering drive.
According to him, the company was acting in compliance with the regulator’s guideline which states that all customers have a right to properly installed and functional metre even as pointed out that the regulator also stated that un-metered customer should be issued with electricity bills strictly based on Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) estimated billing methodology.
Ofulue said the company was resolute in its commitment to provide metre to all its customers and narrow the metering gap as quickly as possible.
He said; “Ikeja Electric wants to reassure customers and state clearly its plans to progressively reduce estimated billing thereby building customers trust in our services.
“At the moment, prepaid meters are being installed in different communities across the network. While in other localities, pre-installation activities are ongoing and between now and the end of the year we will have concluded the first batch of the deployment.
“We therefore urge our customers to be patient as our ultimate objective is to ensure that all our customers are eventually metered.”
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Ofulue further assured that customers in Ikeja, Abule-Egba, Akowonjo, Oshodi, Ikorodu and Shomolu who had indicated their eagerness would be issued meters.
He said that with this move, the organisation was adding its quota in narrowing the metering gap.
“The recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed an increase of 1.59 per cent in the number of prepaid metre to customers, which is an indication that the meter gap is gradually closing.
“The Federal Government has consistently enjoined the Distribution Companies (DISCOs)to provide metres to customers in a bid to narrow the gap and reduce complaints of high consumption charges and estimated billing.
“This is in line with the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 2005 to ensure an efficiently managed electricity supply industry that meets the yearnings of Nigerians for stable, adequate and safe electricity supply,” he said.
