Power Consumers Demand Improved Electricity Supply

Peter Uzoho 

Consumers of electricity have urged the new distribution firms in Lagos State – IE Energy Lagos Limited and Excel Distribution Company Limited to prioritise improvement in billing and collection efficiency to enable them raise more revenue and reduce the illiquidity issues in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

The consumers also urged the new utility companies which took over from the existing Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDC) to increase investment in network upgrade and metering system, adding that why striving to ramp up revenue, they must ensure improvement in power supply and general service to customers. 

The President, Nigeria Electricity Consumer Protection Network, Mr. Kunle Olubiyo, made the demands during an exclusive chat with THISDAY.

Last week, the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) issued distribution licences to Excel Distribution Company Limited and IE Energy Lagos Limited, marking their takeover from Eko and Ikeja Electric Plc, respectively.

The development signals a major milestone in the implementation of the Lagos State Electricity Policy and the expansion of a competitive electricity market in the state.

The LASERC Chairman, Abimbola Odubiyi, handed over the licences to the new operators, a development that brought the existence of Eko Disco and Ikeja Electric to an end in the Lagos electricity market.

Odubiyi described the move as “another defining moment in Lagos’ journey towards a reliable and sustainable electricity market,” stressing that the Commission would continue to uphold independence, transparency, and service to Lagosians.

LASERC’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Fouad Animashaun, said the issuance of the licences underscores the state’s commitment to enabling private sector participation.

“By expanding competition, Lagosians can look forward to better access, improved reliability, and affordable electricity supply,” he said.

Responding to the emergence of new successor Discos in Lagos, Olubiyo described it as “a welcome development”, adding that the expectation of the public was for the new distribution licensees to take care of the day-to-day business of power distribution and ensure radical scaling up of collection and billing efficiency.

“The emphasis is on the commercial component, which is improving on collection efficiency and billing efficiency.”

However,  while the new Discos seek to increase their revenue and become more buoyant, Olubiyo urged them to prioritise upscaling efficiency in service delivery and customer satisfaction. 

He said most of the existing network do not have the requisite equipment, a situation he noted demands greater attention to investment in infrastructure.