From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called on electricity consumers in Anambra State to report any requests by officials of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to purchase transformers, cables, or poles, emphasising that such items are the responsibility of distribution companies (DISCOs) and not consumers. The directive follows persistent complaints against DISCOs, particularly EEDC, regarding these demands.
During a town hall meeting in Awka on Thursday, September 4, NERC Commissioner for Stakeholders Management, Hajiya Aisha Mahmud, represented by Dr. Zubairu Babatunde, Head of Consumer Protection, addressed consumers, stating, “NERC regulates the operations of the distribution companies and ensures customers are not short-changed. If consumers are dissatisfied with services, they should channel their complaints appropriately. We are also here to listen to your concerns and for the DISCOs to respond directly.” She urged consumers to document and report any such incidents to NERC for prompt action.
The meeting, part of a three-day Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting (CCRM) held at Hilton Leisure Resorts and Hotels, addressed issues including metering, billing, electricity supply, and service quality. NERC officials supervised the acquisition of prepaid meters during the event, assuring consumers that meters would be delivered within the stipulated period.
Representing EEDC’s Managing Director, Chief Information Officer Dr. Idika Okechukwu announced that a meter laboratory has been established in Onitsha to expedite installations, with a commitment to install meters within 72 hours for consumers who have paid. He revealed that 750,000 of EEDC’s 1,365,400 customers in Anambra are metered, and the company is working to comply with NERC’s metering regulations. Okechukwu also disclosed plans to introduce an offline bill payment system before the end of September 2025 to ease payment processes for customers.