Residents of Royal Gardens Estate in Ajah have appealed to the Lagos State House of Assembly to intervene in a protracted dispute with their developer, Trojan Estate, over electricity supply, service charges and alleged rights violations.

Speaking to the House Committee on Housing, led by Mr. Segun Ege, the Chairman of the Royal Gardens Estate Residents Association (RGERA), Mr. Anthony Ogbebor, claimed that the community has endured unfair practices for over a decade, which have intensified in the last 18 months.

The core of the dispute revolves around a “block-metering system” that Trojan Estate reportedly introduced after the estate’s communal generator became inadequate. Under this system, all households are connected to a single meter, making residents collectively responsible for the estate’s entire electricity bill.

“Right now, I have over 4,000 units on my prepaid meter but no electricity because of the block meter system,” Ogbebor said, expressing frustration.

He accused the developer of deliberately blocking efforts by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to install individual meters, a service already provided to similar estates like VGC and Crown Estate.

The situation worsened in April 2024 when electricity tariffs surged from ₦74 per kilowatt-hour to ₦241. Due to the block-metering system, the new rate was applied immediately, reportedly ballooning the monthly bill from ₦60 million to nearly ₦290 million. This has left the estate in darkness since May 26, 2024.

Ogbebor further alleged that Trojan Estate has ignored multiple invitations from the Nigerian Electricity Commission (NEC) to mediate, choosing instead to challenge NEC’s jurisdiction in court. The legal case, which has been ongoing for over a year, is still awaiting a ruling.

“We don’t want to take the law into our hands. That is why we are appealing to the House to intervene. This is about fundamental human rights,” Ogbebor stressed.

In response, the House Committee members have reportedly asked the developer to produce documents related to the court case and promised to schedule another hearing. The committee is said to be considering a request to the state’s Chief Judge to help expedite a judgment.

The residents are demanding two key concessions: the removal of the block-metering system in favor of individual metering by EKEDC, and full transparency in how the developer collects and uses service charges within the estate.

As of press time, Trojan Estate has not issued a public statement regarding the allegations.