The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has urged customers within its network to take advantage of the ongoing free prepaid meter rollout under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI).

The initiative, funded through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) Tranche B, aims to close the metering gap across EKEDC’s franchise area and ensure transparency in electricity billing.

Rekhiat Momoh, acting chief executive officer of EKEDC, made the appeal during a customer engagement forum on Thursday at the Lekki Business Unit in Lagos.

The Lekki Business District covers areas such as Ikota, Oke Ira, Addo, Badore, Ajah, Ilaje, Ikeja Mobil, Ogombo, Thomas Estate, Abraham Adesanya, and Lekki Scheme 2.

The MAF serves as a major funding mechanism under the PMI, approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Ms Momoh, represented by the chief commercial officer, Samuel Edoho, said that under the current phase, Band A and Band B customers would receive prepaid meters at no cost.

She added that eligible customers could apply for meter allocation through the Eko DisCo online portal.

“New customers should visit the new connection section, while existing customers migrating from postpaid to prepaid can log into their accounts,” she said.

According to her, the application window will remain open from November 6 to December 31, and participation is entirely free.

Ms Momoh disclosed that EKEDC had completed installations under Tranche A and that Tranche B officially commenced this week.

“We have installed over 15,000 free prepaid meters under Tranche A and have metered more than 450,000 customers across our network,” she said.

She stressed that customers are not required to pay any fee for the processing or installation of electricity meters.

“Meters and their installation are completely free under government-approved programmes such as the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme,” Ms Momoh stressed.

Ms Momoh warned against fraudulent practices, revealing that some individuals had been collecting money from unsuspecting customers for prepaid meters already covered by the initiative.

On the issue of meter bypassing, Ms Momoh cautioned that such acts are illegal and punishable under the Electricity Act 2023 and NERC regulations.

She reaffirmed EKEDC’s commitment to strict monitoring and enforcement, assuring that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

A community leader, Ifeanyi Inuoha, urged the company to ensure that resolutions from the meeting are implemented to build trust and strengthen customer relations.

Mr Inuoha pledged to mobilise residents to protect EKEDC’s assets and report electricity theft within their communities.

(NAN)