The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has officially commenced the distribution of free prepaid meters to Band A customers within its franchise areas as part of the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme.

Babatunde Lasaki, EKEDC’s general manager of corporate communication, said this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

Mr Lasaki said the initiative was part of the company’s ongoing efforts to bridge the metering gap and enhance service delivery to its customers.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to ensure timely metering of eligible customers within the 60-day project timeline.

“We encourage all Band A customers with faulty or obsolete meters to visit our website and apply for a replacement at no cost.

“If you are a postpaid customer in any of our Band A feeders, please apply, and we will ensure you are metered immediately,” Mr Lasaki said.

He further clarified that the MAF scheme runs concurrently with the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

Mr Lasaki said that while the MAP allows customers to purchase their meters and receive reimbursement over time, the MAF scheme is a federal government intervention aimed at addressing metering challenges for Band A customers.

“Although the MAF scheme currently applies to Band A customers, future tranches will extend to our broader customer base,” he added.

Mr Lasaki also commended the federal government for its continuous efforts to bridge the metering gap and improve the overall performance of the power sector.

MAF is an initiative of the federal government under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) to provide meters to Band A customers at no cost.

The scheme seeks to replace faulty meters and facilitate the migration of postpaid customers to prepaid meters.

The process is overseen by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

(NAN)