Metering, overbilling topped electricity customers’ complaints in 2023: NERC
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said it received 1,220,245 complaints through its customers’ complaints units in 2023.
In its 2023 annual report on its website, NERC said metering and overbilling of consumers accounted for the highest complaints.
The report said the complaints bordered on metering, overbilling, disconnection, service interruption, delay in reconnection, load shedding, and voltage interruptions.
“The most common issues among the complaints received by DisCos during the year were metering -53.09 per cent, billing – 16.30 per cent and service interruption – 8.16 per cent.
“These three complaints categories cumulatively accounted for 77.55 per cent of the total complaints in the year,” it said.
The report showed Ibadan and Port Harcourt DisCos received the highest complaints.
It said Ibadan DisCo received 207,216, representing 16.98 per cent, while Port-Harcourt DisCo received 205,054, representing 16.80 per cent of the total complaints, respectively.
“In comparison, Aba and Yola DisCos had the lowest complaints. Aba had 4,029 complaints, representing 0.33 per cent, and Yola had 11,930, representing 0.98 per cent of the total complaints.
“Cumulatively, 1,156,553 complaints were resolved, yielding a resolution rate of 94.78 per cent,‘’ it said.
The report also said the NERC forum offices had 10,144 appeals in 2023.
It said the forum offices received 6,387 new appeals while 3,757 appeals were pending from 2022.
The report further said the forum office serving the Ikeja DisCo had 2,689 appeals, and Ibadan had 2,562, making the two DisCos to record the highest number of appeals.
It said this corresponded to 26.51 per cent and 25.26 per cent of total appeals, respectively.
The report said Abuja DisCo had 243 appeals, representing 2.40 per cent, while Yola DisCo received 248, representing 2.44 per cent of the total appeals.
It said this made Abuja and Yola DisCo receive the fewest appeals.
“The forum offices had 359 sittings in 2023 and resolved 6,181 appeals, representing 60.93 per cent of the total active appeals.
“Billing was the most prevalent complaint within the year, accounting for 61.41 per cent of the total appeal.
“ Complaints about metering and disconnection represented 23.90 per cent and 5.28 per cent of the appeals, respectively,‘’ it said.
(NAN)
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