Customers of electricity distribution companies are protesting the moves by electricity distribution companies to retrieve prepaid meters for an upgrade.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company recently informed its customers via its Facebook page that it would begin retrieving a set of prepaid meters for upgrading.
The flyer from the Disco read, “Dear esteemed customers. Kindly be informed that as part of the ongoing meter upgrading, we will be retrieving from our customers, prepaid meters with meter numbers 62417, 62418…and some meter no, starting with 6321…This is to enable us to upgrade.
“Our field staff will visit the affected customers’ properties to retrieve the meters.”
The company further said the meter would be returned once upgrading was concluded, and that old tokens would not be wiped out from the meters.
However, the information did not go down well with its customers.
One Olatinwo Multimedia, a customer of the Disco, said codes should be provided instead.
“That is nonsense. You should provide a link where meter codes will be placed for updates. It is absolutely nonsense and unrealistic to remove already (installed) prepaid meters. Who does that?” he queried.
Another customer, Olaanipekun Henrym warned IBEDC members of staff “not to come near” his house.
“Nobody should come near my house because you people cannot be trusted. Mine is 62418, but nobody will take it away for an upgrade. I know any attempt to take it away, it won’t be returned in a year,” he said.
On his part, Akinyemi Tayo said the Disco could not be trusted.
“Walahi, you people want to rob us again by increasing the tariff so that it can finish on time. This is wickedness. God will stop it soon,” he said.
Sources close to the matter told The PUNCH that other Discos could employ similar avenues to upgrade problematic meters.
“I said it. IBEDC can’t upgrade automatically. Can you imagine going manually and hoping it won’t be hijacked by crooks,” one Oni Kunle said.
Muraina Akeem Olatunji added that the Disco was “taking their customers for fools, abi?”
A twist was added to the Discourse when one Adewusi Ayodele said, that although he had upgraded his meter via a code provided by the Disco, however, he was given a lesser token after a fresh recharging.
“Good day, IBEDC. I did a recharge of N6,000 but was given a token for 43.04 units. I am confused with these new tariffs/charges. Kindly clarify,” he said.
Rasaq Adebayo expressed fear that the meter may not be returned until after six months if customers allowed the Disco to take it away.
IBEDC’s spokesperson, Adebusolami Tunwase, told The PUNCH that customers whose meters would be retrieved would be placed on post-paid meters during the period.
“The information is explicit. It is to upgrade the software of meters that are rejecting upgrade codes, and the meter series affected are stated.
“They will be put on post-paid meters that require bill payment for that duration. The meters will be returned as the upgrade is completed. And as you know, the upgrade continues till November,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Sunday Oduntan condemned the intended retrieval, describing it as “absurd”.
Meanwhile, spokespersons for the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Babatunde Lasaki and Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Bala Sani, including the Corporate Communications department of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, did not respond to inquiries about the retrieval of some meters.
Metering expert, Sesan Okunade told The PUNCH that the update that was shared by IBEDC was part of the development in the power sector as stipulated by the STS compliance meter.
“What this implies is for the TID rollover. Each of the smart meters that we have that is compliant with the STS is expected to roll over by the 24th of November 2024 to zero, and what that implies is that if you do not upgrade, it may no longer be active.
“So, ordinarily, what is to be done is for each Disco to generate a key change token for each customer when they are making their purchases, but I am sure this class of meters with these numbers stipulated is specific to a particular meter supplier, which is having a defect. They might need to do it offline, and possibly take them to their offices.
“If other Discos have also patronise this same supplier, they might follow suit. At the time those meters were purchased, the Discos themselves were not aware because the market was flooded by different types of meters. They got to know say around late last year. So, the meter supplier must have provided upgrade codes to be done offline,” he explained.
The President of the Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria, Chijioke James, did not give a concrete response to The PUNCH inquiries.
“I am still outside the country and can only respond after consultation with colleagues on the ground,” he said.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Spokesperson, Usman Arabi, said the Commission would continue to ensure that the Discos’ businesses are conducted in a manner that favours not just the electricity market, but also the consumers.
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