Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has announced the commencement of its free prepaid meter distribution program for Band A customers within its franchise area. This initiative is part of the ongoing effort to close the metering gap in Nigeria under the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme.
In a statement issued on Monday, Babatunde Lasaki, the General Manager of Corporate Communications at EKEDC, confirmed that the distribution is in line with the company’s commitment to the Federal Government’s Presidential Metering Initiative. The initiative aims to provide prepaid meters to Band A customers at no cost.
The distribution will be carried out over the next 60 days, and it includes the replacement of faulty meters free of charge for Band A customers. Additionally, unmetered Band A customers will receive prepaid meters at no cost as part of the scheme.
“The Meter Acquisition Fund is designed to replace faulty meters and accelerate the transition of postpaid customers to prepaid,” Lasaki explained. The initiative is being closely monitored by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to ensure its effectiveness.
Lasaki further urged Band A customers with faulty or obsolete meters to visit EKEDC’s website and apply for a free meter replacement. He also noted that the MAF scheme does not replace the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, which allows customers to purchase meters and receive a refund over time. The MAF scheme, however, is specifically targeted at Band A customers in this first phase, though subsequent phases will expand to other customer categories.
“This initiative is an important step by the Federal Government to address Nigeria’s metering challenges,” Lasaki said. Despite various interventions, the country still faces a significant metering gap, with an estimated 7 million unmetered customers across the nation.
He also commended the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the country’s power sector performance through these interventions.
