FCCPC moves to protect electicity consumers’ rights, cautions DisCos against overbilling

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has moved to ensure that electricity consumers in Nigeria get value for their money.

Speaking in Abuja, the Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera lamented that electricity consumers are constantly being abused by DisCOs.

He stated that the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) are taking advantage of the current market malfunctions in the country to exploit consumers using over billing.

According to him, the fact “that people are complaining a lot more now is actually an indication of a vibrant resolution mechanism and a confidence consumers have in it.

“The bad side is that we continue to have repeated complaints about the same issues. It shows that there are some key structural modifications to which businesses operate and how the sector delivers its services.

“We have to resolve consumers complaints and modify the nature of business in that space to a point where the dissatisfaction is reduced.”

Irukera explained that consumers’ complaints have never been primarily about supply, but about billing for electricity not supplied.

He stated that connecting the balance sheet to an arbitrary metering system is the worst form of abuse, especially for an essential public utility.

The Vice-Chairman noted that there should be a clear line between a bill estimate and actual usage as the whole point is to remove the asymmetry of power and restore equal and fair bargain.

He concluded that for the period over which estimated billing will subsist, there must be rational, transparent and reasonable bills.

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