Residents of Ebute-Metta (West) in Lagos State, alongside the traditional ruler of the Otumara community, Apapa Road, Ojo-Oniyun and surrounding areas, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, have protested what they described as excessive estimated billing by Excel Distribution Company, formerly Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).
The residents condemned the alleged reclassification of electricity consumers from Band C to Band A without prior notice or consultation, describing the move as arbitrary and unacceptable.
High Chief Kalejaiye, while expressing dissatisfaction with his recent electricity bill, claimed his monthly charge surged from N300,000 to N1 million, adding that the distribution company has threatened to disconnect his supply if the amount is not paid.
He further alleged that although the entire community was previously placed on Band C, his premises was moved to Band B on the grounds that it operates a commercial meter, a decision he said lacked transparency and fairness.
The affected residents called for urgent intervention to address the billing concerns and ensure fair treatment of consumers in the area.
“The electricity company has failed in the discharge of its responsibility. How can consumers be made to pay exorbitant bill served for electricity not consumed” he said.
“As a business owner, we know how difficult it is to operate in this country, and this is compounded by the outrageous billing system of Eko Disco. My bill jumped from N300,000 to N1 million without any justification. My meter was reclassified without prior notice,” Kalejaiye said.
He accused the company of lacking transparency in its billing process and alleged that unmetered consumers were being exploited through arbitrary charges.
“They are serving bills as they deem fit. Many households and businesses in Ebute-Metta (West) are on Band B, but how do we explain the sudden increase from N300,000 to N1 million?” he queried.
Kalejaiye called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Tunji Bello who is also a mainlander and relevant regulatory agencies to intervene, urging the distribution company to ensure accountability and provide prepaid meters to consumers to curb what he described as a dangerous billing regime.
“I am calling on the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Council (LASERC), the Executive Vice-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Dr Tunji Bello, Lagos State Consumer Protection Commission and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to intervene and rescue residents of Lagos Mainland Local Government Area from this throat-cutting billing system.
The renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu is yielding positive dividends and Nigerians are beginning to experience relieve from years of economic hardship. Therefore, no electricity company must be allowed to spoil the good works of the President.
“We want strict adherence to the capping order. We want transparency and accountability in billing, whether consumers are metered or not, and regardless of band classification.”
Another resident of Ibadan Street (West), Ajadi Yusuf, complained of what he described as double billing, which he said had plunged many residents into debt.
“How can you serve two bills on one meter?” he asked, describing the practice as strange and oppressive.
Yusuf said repeated applications for prepaid meters had yielded little success, with only a few residents benefiting. He also raised concerns about the alleged forced migration of households from Band C to Band A without explanation.
“What level of electricity consumption warranted such migration? We want a fair bargain. We want an end to huge monthly bills and a clear explanation for the way we are being treated,” he said.
He added that residents were frustrated by high bills despite erratic power supply.
“We are tired of outrageous bills amid epileptic electricity supply. We reject arbitrary billing by EKEDC. We want an end to unlawful extortion. Our complaints have not received any positive response,” Yusuf said.
Efforts to obtain a response from EKEDC were unsuccessful, as calls to the company’s public relations officer, were not answered at the time of filing this report.
