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Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has made significant investments in the upgrade of equipment within its network to enhance the quality of service delivery. The CEO of EKEDC, Dr. Tinuade Sanda, shared this information during a customer engagement forum in Lagos, specifically focusing on the Ijora District. The forum was attended by customers from various areas, including Yaba, Iganmu, Ota, Onike, Surulere, and Aguda.

Sanda emphasized that EKEDC allocates a substantial portion of its capital expenditure (CAPEX) to infrastructural development. The company’s efforts include projects such as changing transformers, upgrading injection substations, and rehabilitating transformers. She conveyed the company’s commitment to providing efficient, reliable, and safe electricity supply, employing cutting-edge technology for the benefit of its customers.

Regarding metering, Sanda outlined the company’s goal to achieve 100% metering of its customers. She explained that the funds collected from customers are shared among participants in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) value chain.
The CEO stressed that the elimination of estimated billing and the swift implementation of targeted metering, particularly through prepaid meters, are essential steps to ensure fair and transparent billing practices. She noted that some bottlenecks in this process originate from Generation Companies (Gencos).
Overall, EKEDC is dedicated to economic and infrastructure development while ensuring reliable power supply within its network operations.
In regards to vandalism, the EKEDC CEO encouraged customers to act as watchdogs, reporting any instances of equipment vandalism to the management.

She sought the collaboration of customers and stakeholders in combatting energy theft and the destruction of equipment within the company’s network.

Sanda pointed out that despite substantial investments in power infrastructure, equipment vandalization continues to be a significant concern. She highlighted recent incidents involving stolen cables, damaged transformers, and other network components, expressing her dismay at the ongoing rate of vandalization within the network.

The CEO acknowledged the detrimental impact of vandalization on power distribution to customers, leading to disruptions in their economic activities and livelihoods.

She urged customers to be vigilant in safeguarding electrical installations in their surroundings to prevent unexpected power outages. Sanda emphasized the importance of reporting any suspicious activities related to vandalism to the nearest Police Station, Civil Defence, or the Department of State Service.

According to her, there has been a noticeable increase in cases of illegal connections, meter bypass, a lack of willingness to pay electricity bills, and vandalism, posing a growing challenge recently.

She provided examples of instances where customers using prepaid meters collaborated with electricians to bypass the meters, with the intention of avoiding payment for the consumed energy.

“The increasing prevalence of energy theft and vandalism greatly concerns the company, which is why we have initiated an intensive campaign against these unlawful activities across our Business Units to combat these illegal actions.

“While we actively seek the support of communities to assist EKEDC in curbing these illicit activities, the provision of improved and stable electricity supply is a shared responsibility, requiring the collaboration of all stakeholders. The ripple effects of these actions are significant, affecting progress in the power sector, revenue, and diminishing the quality of electricity supply to our valued customers,” Sanda clarified.

She cautioned that severe penalties would be imposed on offenders, as energy theft and vandalization are punishable offenses under Section 94(3) of the EPSRA Act 2005, with culprits liable to imprisonment for five to seven years.

The CEO reiterated the company’s dedication to curbing energy theft, vandalism, and other illegal actions carried out by unscrupulous individuals within its network.

Okpo Onyekwere, EKEDC’s General Manager, Technical Services, expressed concern about the decreasing daily energy allocation to the company.

Onyekwere noted that the daily energy allocation had reduced from 513 megawatts to 350 megawatts in the past two weeks. He emphasized the company’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted power supply for every customer within its network, highlighting the efficiency and effectiveness of EKEDC.

Chief Adegbesan Olusegun, the Baale of Araromi Community, praised the company for its prompt response to faults and for organizing customer forums to discuss developments within each community under its network.

Olusegun emphasized the importance of communities collaborating with the DisCo to safeguard its equipment in their specific areas.

He encouraged residents to consistently report instances of illegal energy consumption or energy theft within their neighborhoods, emphasizing that the EKEDC management requires collective cooperation to achieve the desired goals in providing services.

“I urge the EKEDC management to explore lasting solutions to the challenges associated with estimated billings and metering,” Olusegun added.