After months of concerns over estimated billing and faulty meters, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has announced the resumption of free prepaid meter installations for its customers. The rollout is set to commence under Tranche B of the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) and Phase 1 of the Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), two initiatives aimed at bridging the nation’s metering gap.
According to the company, a total of 33,450 smart meters will be installed under MAF Tranche B, while Phase 1 of DISREP will deploy 22,104 meters. MAF installations will prioritize unmetered customers on Band A feeders, while DISREP will target both Band A and Band B customers.
IBEDC emphasised that both the meters and installation are completely free, warning customers against paying any money to installers or company staff. Reports of payment requests can be made via maf_disrep@ibedc.com or ethicscompliance@ibedc.com. The initiative, funded by IBEDC through a market-supported mechanism established by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, complements the Presidential Metering Initiative and is intended to accelerate nationwide metering without any cost to customers.
Customers are urged to allow installers access to their premises upon presentation of valid identification, as refusal of access could result in service disconnection. The company also cautioned against tampering with or bypassing the new meters, noting that such actions constitute energy theft and attract penalties.
While customers with outstanding arrears are encouraged to settle them for a seamless transition to prepayment mode, the company confirmed that arrears will not disqualify anyone from receiving a free meter. “No customer will be denied a meter on account of outstanding bills. Arrears will be managed according to our debt settlement policies and established procedures,” the statement concluded.
This rollout is expected to reduce billing disputes and enhance service reliability, providing a critical boost to households and small businesses across the distribution network.
