FCCPC opposes DisCos’ plan to phase-out old meters, vows to protect customers

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, has confirmed its engagement with electricity Distribution Companies, and other stakeholders in the electricity sector to make metering processes more transparent and accountable.

The FCCPC’s Director, Special Duties and Strategic Communication, Ondaje Ijagwu disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

He noted that the engagement was to address ongoing concerns surrounding the phase-out of Unistar prepaid meters by Ikeja Electric Plc and other DisCos following widespread consumer complaints.

Ijagwu further stressed that the discussion would also ensure that DisCos bore the cost of replacement of the phased-out meters, without imposing extra charges on consumers.

Ijagwu said that the Commission would work to ensure that DisCos complied with regulatory guidelines, preventing consumers from being unfairly charged or placed on estimated billing.

Ijagwu wrote, “Recent announcements by Ikeja Electric Plc indicated that the Unistar prepaid meters, first deployed over a decade ago, will no longer be supported from November 14, due to technological upgrades and the Token Identifier (TID) rollover issue.

“The FCCPC has observed rising anxiety among consumers over potential financial burdens, particularly whether they will be required to cover the cost of replacement of meters.

”Further concerns relate to the possibility of consumers being placed on arbitrary estimated billing during this transition, which would violate existing rules. These concerns have been worsened by insufficient communication from the DisCos about the phase-out process, leading to uncertainty and distrust.

“In line with its mandate to protect consumers and promote fairness in the Nigerian marketplace, the FCCPC is actively engaging key stakeholders. The stakeholders are, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), and the eleven (11) DisCos.”