The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has issued a strong warning to the Ikeja and Eko electricity distribution companies (IKEDC and EKEDC) over attempts to proceed with the replacement of Unistar meters, which the FCCPC has ordered to halt.
The directive, issued on Wednesday by FCCPC, remains in full effect, and any violations will lead to “severe consequences,” the Commission stated.
The FCCPC stated that both the Commission and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had revoked the planned replacement by IKEDC and EKEDC and stressed that the recent acceptance of new meter rates by NERC has nothing to do with the replacement of Unistar meters.
According to FCCPC, Ikeja and Eko DisCos must adhere strictly to NERC’s “Order on Structured Replacement of Faulty and Obsolete End-user Customer Meters in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry” (Order No. NERC/246/2021), which mandates that meter replacements should be conducted promptly, without service disruption or additional costs to consumers.
Furthermore, the order insists that consumers should not face estimated billing during any replacement delays.
“The FCCPC’s position remains clear: non-compliance with these directives by Ikeja and Eko DisCos will not be tolerated. Violations, it emphasized, will trigger “stiff penalties in line with existing consumer protection laws,” it stated.
The FCCPC offered a dedicated phone number, 08119877785, for complaints pertaining to electricity and encouraged customers to report any attempts by IKEDC or EKEDC to ignore the mandate.
According to FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, “The FCCPC remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the rights of Nigerian consumers against unfair practices by service providers.”
