In January 2023, Godstime Agho, a Lagos-based resident, paid Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) N63,378 for a new single-phase prepaid meter.

Agho, speaking with FIJ, said that on February 17, he received the new meter but was surprised to discover that it came with a debt of N80,559.20.

He said that he complained to IKEDC but this debt grew continuously until it was over N600,000

READ ALSO: Weeks After Successful Transfer, Opay Yet to Credit Customer’s Account

“The accumulated debt on the account grew to over N600,000. It was reduced to N335,981 after my consistent emails and visits to their office. They realised I wasn’t going to pay it, so they reduced the amount,” Agho told FIJ.

The Lagos resident said that apart from the accumulated debt, Ikeja Electric disconnected his light 13 months after, when they realised that the meter he was issued wasn’t meant for his area.

“When IKEDC was to install the prepaid meter, they sent someone who was a third-party agent. I didn’t know about this until my light was disconnected,” he said.

“The meter had the details of someone else and was registered to be under Akowonjo, instead of Ikeja, where I stay.

“After my electricity was disconnected for about a month, the mismatch was eventually corrected and my electricity reconnected. However, I made countless visits to IKEDC to achieve this.

“Upon reconnection, I discovered a debt of over N300,000 on the meter. IKEDC said it was from the other mismatch error and that I would have to pay for it.”

Agho said he had paid numerous visits to IKEDC and also sent several emails to them for a cancellation of the unknown debt on his prepaid meter but to no avail.

“This debt is like them asking me to pay them for disconnecting my light and the errors they made,” Agho told FIJ.

READ ALSO: One Year After Ezenekwe Kosisochukwu Took Man’s N3m, No CoS, No Refund

FIJ first contacted Ikeja Electric for a reaction on June 24, and they promised that there would be a credit adjustment.

“Please be informed that a credit adjustment of N163,163.55 has been granted with respect to your billing complaint. The credit adjustment has been scheduled to reflect during the July maintenance window,” they wrote.

FIJ asked if the credit adjustment meant that N163,163 would be deducted from the unknown debt the customer is required to pay, but the agency has yet to respond.