Ikeja Electric: We’re not taking new orders for prepaid meters

•Says we want to clear backlog

By Abubakar Yunusa

Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IE) says it will no longer take orders from customers for new prepaid meters until it has cleared the backlog of requests.
Last week, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved an increase in the prices of prepaid electricity meters.
The commission said a single-phase meter would now cost N81,975.16k, instead of the previous price of N58,661.69k; and the price of a three-phase meter was increased to N143,836.10k from N109,684.36k.
NERC said the approved meter prices are exclusive of value-added tax (VAT).
In a virtual stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, Morenikeji Amosun, IE’s head of prepaid revenue management and metering, said the company could not attend to customers’ requests for prepaid meters for a few months before the price change.
This, he said, was due to adjustments in the foreign exchange rates.
However, Amosun said the company plans to attend to existing requests — before accepting new ones — saying the process would begin soon.
“We have a backlog…we’re not taking new orders,” he said.
“It will be unfair for those that have paid money before the price increase to not receive their meters and those who will pay N88,000 will be getting it.”
He said the company is working hard to ensure that those who had paid for the meters get it soon, urging customers to exercise patience.