Stakeholders urge customers to guide against meter update fraudsters
30 August 2023 |
3:55 am
Stakeholders have called on customers to be wary of fraudsters who would take advantage of the prepaid meter update claiming to be from electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
Stakeholders have called on customers to be wary of fraudsters who would take advantage of the prepaid meter update claiming to be from electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
This warning comes after the update by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) via its Twitter handle on a prepaid meter user upgrade coming before November 2024.
The commission advised consumers to contact their DisCos for more information on the upgrade.
“If you have a prepaid meter, it may be time for an update. From November 2024, you may not be able to recharge your meter. However, updating is easy and free. DisCos shall commence issuance of two free Key change tokens (KCTs) which will update your meter.
“The update will not affect the units in your meter nor will it make your meter run faster than usual,” the statement read. According to a statement made available to The Guardian by Ikeja Electric (IE), all standard transfer specification (STS) pre-paid meters within IE network must be upgraded, otherwise the meters would be unable to load energy tokens from 1st November, 2023 when IE kicks off its TID rollover process.
It further stated that all Ikeja Disco customers with STS meters are required to provide NIN details before the upgrade.
“Only customers who have linked their NIN will receive the two sets of 20-digit tokens (KCT one and two), delivered alongside their energy token at the point of vending, as of November 1, 2023,” it stated.
Acting Head Corporate Communications of IE, Kingsley Okotie, in a chat with The Guardian, said as a customer-centric brand with an insatiable appetite for advancements in technology and innovative solutions to drive efficiency in service delivery in the sector, IE has made the steps for the seamless, simple and confidential update, hence customers are advised to read the steps carefully and do it themselves to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.
Speaking with The Guardian, Executive Director of the Research and Advocacy of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, said consumers should not pay anyone as the commission stated it is free and advised them to visit the nearest DisCos to them.
“Consumers should not engage just anyone but DisCo officials, they should not give room for fraudsters to take over the process as the officials would direct them on what to do or even assist them.
“The software update is not a big deal, it affects all STS meters, it’s the same way they buy their token, they would be given a token which they would put on the meter to update the software,” he said.
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