PROCEDURES FOR DISCONNECTION OF ELECTRICITY SERVICES IN NIGERIA

The epileptic state of the power supply in Nigeria has raised a high state of concern among its citizen. Despite the billions of Naira put into power supply for decades by lots of government administration, this nature of electricity supply in Nigeria persists. What could be the cause of this?

Every Nigerian at one time or other has been forced to almost fight or exchange words with Electricity distribution company staff, some of the distribution staff have even lost their lives in the course of duty. Because of the following:

Unestimated billing: issues for determination under unestimated billing includes;

Exorbitant charges. The charges are very exorbitant which usually leads to most Nigerians not being able to meet up with the payment of monthly charges. Some will have their charges piled up and then start paying in little instalments, which will always end up in their light being disconnected because they are not able to meet up with will the new charges.
Secondly, bills are not commensurate with services rendered. People do not get the value of what they pay for sequel to this; the unreasonable increase has crippled a lot of businesses in Nigeria.

Inadequate power supply: due to the inadequacy of the power supply in Nigeria, most citizens and foreigners depend on the running of diesel and petrol for their daily activities which is quite expensive. The frustration is now even huge because of the excessive increment in petrol; most foreign companies have relocated to other countries where it will be cheaper to run their businesses.

The invention of the prepaid meter has relieved most Nigerians who now decide how to manage their electricity consumption, by putting off some of their appliances when they are leaving the house.

In Nigeria, the regulatory body that governs the activities of distribution companies is the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC).

The following are procedures for the connection of electricity in Nigeria :

Have you built or bought a new house the following are steps for connection to electricity in Nigeria;

Customer who desires to obtain electricity supply shall submit an application for electricity supply in a format required by the distribution company and approved by the commission.

Provide a declaration of supply requirement completed by an appropriate authority in a format required by the distribution company.
Provide the company with acceptable identification and information necessary to enable it to arrange to supply the address.
Pay any capital contribution, connection charge and security deposit requested by the distribution company and approved by the commission.

A distribution company shall make an appointment to install the meter and connect the electricity supply to the supply address within a period stipulated in the Commission Customer Service Standard performance: provided that;

The customer’s electrical installation complies with the technical standard approved by the commission.
The distribution company provides the customer in writing with the terms and conditions of supply.
That all electrical bills for the supply address will be issued in the name of the customer.
The distribution company agrees to connect the supply to its network.
The customer has paid the distribution company all charges approved by the commission.

Procedures for disconnection of Electricity services in Nigeria as stipulated by the Commission

The distribution company may only disconnect the electricity supply to a customer’s address if the customer has not paid the amount correctly billed to the supply address by the relevant payment date

Provided that;

The payment date is clearly shown on all the bills.
The payment date is at least 10 working days from the date of delivery of the bill to the customer’s address.
The payment date has not been subsided by another payment date issued to the same customer for the same supply address.
The period between the payment date and the date of disconnection is not less than three months.
The distribution company have verified from its account that payment has not been made.
The distribution company has given the customer a written warning that the electricity supply shall be disconnected if payment is not made by the payment date and the warning contains;
The date of its delivery to the supply address or any other address provided by the customer.
A telephone number or an address acceptable to the distribution company where the customer request assistance for paying outstanding bills.