A woman’s visit to an electricity office ended with a shocking discovery. She claims a prepaid meter installed at her family home was linked to another person’s account carrying a debt of more than ₦406,000.
CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE — A woman has alleged that a prepaid electricity meter installed at her family residence in Calabar was registered in another person’s name and linked to an account with an outstanding debt of ₦406,000. She shared the experience in a video posted on social media, where it has attracted widespread reactions from Nigerians.
Why This Happened
According to the woman, the prepaid meter was installed while she was away. She said she later tried to purchase electricity tokens using the account number on the meter card but was unable to complete the transaction.
She said she visited the electricity company’s office to seek clarification, where she was allegedly informed that the account had been opened in another person’s name and already carried an outstanding debt of ₦406,000.
What She Said
In the viral video, the woman questioned how her family’s meter could be connected to someone else’s account.
She also claimed officials told her there was little they could do immediately after she requested either a change of account details or the installation of another prepaid meter. Extra News Nigeria has not independently verified the allegations, and the electricity distribution company had not publicly responded at the time of publication.
Background to the Story
Prepaid meters are designed to allow electricity consumers to pay for power before use. Under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) framework, customer accounts are expected to reflect the correct consumer information to ensure accurate billing and service delivery.
Consumer complaints relating to metering, billing disputes and account registration are typically handled through the customer service channels of the relevant electricity distribution company and may be escalated to NERC if they remain unresolved.
What This Means for Nigeria
The development means accurate customer registration remains essential for confidence in Nigeria’s electricity metering system. If the allegations are confirmed, they could raise concerns about account registration procedures and consumer protection. The case also highlights the importance of verifying customer details during meter installation and ensuring complaints receive prompt investigation by the relevant authorities.
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