A business customer has narrated how the prolonged failure of Ikeja Electric to commission its prepaid meter despite fulfilling all required conditions since February 2026 has severely disrupted its operations and increased its operating costs.
According to the customer, the complaint and request for meter commissioning were officially lodged on February 24, 2026. Following the request, all necessary requirements and documentation requested by Ikeja Electric were promptly completed. However, more than two months later, the meter is yet to be commissioned, leaving the business without proper electricity access despite repeated follow-ups.
The customer explained that several calls have been made to Ikeja Electric’s customer care line without any meaningful resolution or clear explanation regarding the delay. On one occasion, a customer care representative assured the company that the matter would be escalated to “stakeholder level” for urgent attention. Despite that assurance, nothing changed and no action was subsequently taken to resolve the issue.
In addition, a formal email complaint was sent to [customercare@ikejaelectric.com] on April 28, 2026, but no response or feedback has been received till date.
Speaking on the situation, the customer stated:
“I laid the complaint on the 24th of February, and they told me it was about commissioning. Since then, I have called countless times without any solution. One of their representatives even promised that the issue would be escalated to stakeholder level, but nothing happened afterward.
“We also visited their customer service office in Ikeja, only to be told that their system had been down for over a month and they could not even check the status of our complaint. It is shocking that a major electricity distribution company can leave customers stranded for months without any proper update or solution.”
The situation became even more frustrating during a recent visit to Ikeja Electric’s customer service office in Ikeja, where officials reportedly informed the company that their system had been down for over one month. According to the officials, due to the system failure, they were unable to even check the status of the complaint or provide any meaningful update regarding the commissioning process.
Effect of Prolonged Delay
As a result of the delay in commissioning the prepaid meter, the business has been forced to rely heavily on generators to sustain daily operations. This has significantly increased operational expenses, with the company now spending over N400,000 monthly on diesel and petrol alone to keep its office running.
Ordinarily, the company’s average monthly electricity expense with Ikeja Electric would have been significantly lower and more manageable. However, due to the inability of Ikeja Electric to activate the prepaid meter, the business has incurred substantial avoidable costs running generators daily, thereby putting unnecessary financial pressure on the organization.
The customer further lamented that despite not enjoying electricity supply, Ikeja Electric has continued to issue estimated bills for electricity not consumed. This situation has left the company in a difficult position where it is simultaneously paying exorbitant amounts for fuel while also receiving electricity bills for services not rendered.
The prolonged delay has negatively affected business operations in several ways, including:
• Increased operational costs due to constant generator usage.
• Noise and environmental pollution from continuous generator operation.
• Operational inefficiencies and disruptions during fuel shortages or generator maintenance.
• Increased wear and tear on generating equipment.
• Additional stress on staff productivity and daily business activities.
“We have spent huge amounts on diesel and petrol just to keep our business running, yet we are still being billed for electricity we are not properly using.
“What is more frustrating is that nobody has clearly explained what the so-called ‘commissioning process’ truly entails or why it should take several months after all requirements have already been met.” The customer noted.
The customer is therefore calling on Ikeja Electric to urgently intervene, commission the prepaid meter without further delay, provide transparency regarding the reasons behind the prolonged process, and immediately address the continued estimated billing despite the circumstances.
Checks by Arbiterz show that the customer’s complaint is not isolated. Similar complaints about delayed commissioning or programming of prepaid meters by Ikeja Electric and Eko Electricity Distribution Company have appeared in media reports and on social media, with customers alleging prolonged delays, repeated follow-ups, unresolved service reference numbers and continued billing despite defective or unusable prepaid meters.
NERC Rules Potentially Breached by Delayed Meter Commissioning
The prolonged delay in commissioning the customer’s prepaid meter may also raise questions about compliance with regulations issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), particularly around consumer rights, metering obligations and estimated billing.
NERC’s published customer protection guidelines state that electricity consumers have a right to a “properly installed and functional meter” as well as the prompt resolution of complaints. In this case, however, the customer alleges that despite completing all requirements since February, the prepaid meter has remained inactive for months, while repeated calls and emails to Ikeja Electric have allegedly gone unanswered.
The regulator has also repeatedly warned electricity distribution companies against exposing customers to estimated billing because of delays linked to meter installation, replacement or activation. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), working with NERC on metering issues, previously warned that customers should not be subjected to estimated billing due to delayed meter installations.
This raises a broader industry concern: customers may technically possess prepaid meters, but administrative or backend “commissioning” delays can effectively leave them trapped in the estimated billing system.
The issue is particularly sensitive given the financial pressures facing Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies. Ikeja Electric and Eko Electricity Distribution Company operate in a power sector weighed down by liquidity shortages, market shortfalls and significant debts to the electricity market. Analysts say prolonged delays in activating prepaid meters are economically counterproductive because they delay legitimate collections, deepen customer distrust and potentially increase regulatory exposure.
For businesses, the consequences can be severe. In the present case, the customer claims the failure to activate the meter forced the business to rely heavily on petrol and diesel generators while still receiving electricity bills for power allegedly not consumed.
