Meter Exchange: Outrage In Nyanya As Residents Accuse AEDC Staff Of Extortion

Residents of Nyanya Karu and Jikwoyi, suburbs of Abuja, have raised the alarm over alleged illegal charges being collected by staff of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) during the ongoing compulsory meter exchange exercise.

According to multiple residents, AEDC personnel, who have been mobilised to remove old meters and install new smart meters, are demanding between N15,000 and N20,000 per flat before carrying out the installation.

In some compounds with multiple tenants, the charges reportedly run as high as N75,000, depending on the area.

“We are aware that they have been assigned to replace our meters with new ones, but they insist we must pay before they proceed. For compounds with five flats, they collect N75,000 without negotiation,” a concerned resident told our correspondent.

The monies are being paid into their personal accounts, mostly OPAY.

The affected areas include Area A Last Road), Area B (Last Road), Area F, Old NEPA Office Extension by Area A Extension Extension, Phase 4, and Nyanya Market, as well as the Nyanya General Hospital Road, among others.

Similar complaints have also been reported in Karu Site, Jikwoyi Phase 2, Customs Quarters, Kary site, EFCC estates etc and other surrounding communities.

Residents further alleged that AEDC staff often abandon installations halfway when offered a lower amount than their demanded price.

“In some compounds, once we say we can’t afford N15,000 or N20,000, they pack up the new smart meters and leave, or fail to capture and activate if already installed, threatening to return only when payment is made,” another resident lamented.

The aggrieved residents expressed deep frustration over what they described as exploitation by the very officials meant to ease the government’s metering policy.

“Government cannot be helping citizens on one hand and allowing exploitation on the other. If we must pay, they should at least give us time we didn’t budget for this sudden charge,” one tenant pleaded..

The aggrieved residents expressed deep frustration over what they described as exploitation by officials meant to ease the government’s metering policy.

The situation has sparked anger across affected communities, with many calling on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Ministry of Power to investigate and sanction erring AEDC officials urgently.

Observers say this trend highlights how corrupt practices by field officers undermine the federal government’s effort to promote transparency and fairness in power distribution, leaving struggling Nigerians to bear the brunt.

DISREP Meters Are Installed For Free—AEDC

However, the AEDC has emphasised that the installation of meters under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) is free.

The head of Customer Experience at Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC), Kenechukwu Ofili, who responded to LEADERSHIP Weekend’s enquiries, urged the customers to beware of extortion, stressing that DISREP meters are installed for free.

LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that DISREP is a strategic initiative by the Federal Government supported by a $500 million World Bank loan. The programme aims to improve the financial and technical performance of Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos) by closing the metering gap through the deployment of 3.2 million smart meters.

Data from the NERC revealed that more than 46 per cent of electricity consumers in the country remain unmetered, underscoring the persistent challenges in eliminating estimated billing and ensuring fair and accurate electricity charges.

As of April 2025, only 6,274,936 out of Nigeria’s 11,700,422 active electricity customers are currently metered, translating to a national metering rate of 53.63 per cent.