The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has begun the second phase of its free prepaid meter distribution under “Tranche B” of the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) metering programme.

The initiative, established by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), aims to close the existing metering gap in the sector and eliminate estimated billing.

The Group Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, stated on Tuesday that the metering programme, funded through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) “Tranche B”, is targeted at unmetered customers on service band “A” feeders across the South-East region.

According to Ezeh, a total of 13,335 customers of EEDC, including those of its subsidiary companies, will benefit in this phase of the metering programme, which began on 2nd November 2025, with the Know Your Customer (KYC) validation exercise.

He affirmed that the free metering initiative is funded through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF), established by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and “customers are not expected to pay to have these meters installed in their facilities”.

“These meters and their installation are free, and customers are cautioned against making any form of payment to the meter installers or succumbing to any form of inducement or extortion,” Ezeh said.

He added that it aligns with the organisation’s commitment to improving service transparency and customer satisfaction.

He emphasised that the program prioritises customers under Band “A” feeders and urged customers to verify and update their contact information by visiting the Customer Service Unit at the distribution company’s office serving them.

“Our team will be reaching out to customers on this metering exercise using the information provided in their profile with the company,” Ezeh added.

Ezeh recounted that earlier in the year, EEDC had completed “Tranche A” of the MAF metering program, which metered a total of 13,614 band “A” customers.

He assured that once all customers in band “A” are metered, attention would be shifted to those in band “B”, stressing that the goal was to systematically close the existing metering gap across the network.

He further appealed to customers who would not be captured in the current “Tranche B” MAF metering exercise to remain patient, as another metering initiative, the Distribution Sector Recovery Project (DISREP), was underway.

He warned against bypassing the prepaid meters when they are installed, saying they would not only defeat the whole essence of the exercise, but also undermine the efforts being made to instil efficiency and revenue protection.

“Customers should avoid engaging in meter bypass, energy theft, and all other illegal activities, and should report anyone engaging in such criminal activity”, he added.

He urged customers to reach out to the company through its call centre on 02084700100 or its WhatsApp lines on 0707 461 0095 and 0707 461 0088, for further inquiries.