Eko Distribution zone of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc (PHCN) distributed 50,000 units of pre-paid meters worth N1.4 Billion to consumers in various parts of Lagos in 2008, Nigeria Communications Week can reveal .
To measure actual consumption rate by consumers as well as to overcome the complexities involved in the obnoxious billing method through the use of meter, PHCN is introducing the pre-paid system that will offer consumers the opportunity to pay as they consume.
Godwin Idemudia, general manger, Public Affairs of the zone disclosed that out of this number 18,216 meters were installed for consumers in Mushin while Festac got 24,000. Another 9,148 were for Ijora consumers, 9,439 went to Lekki area, Apapa 820, Agbara 13, Isi-Ajele consumers got 5,165 while 236 were installed in Orile area of Lagos.
With the pre-paid format, a consumer has to buy a credit card to the unit he can afford and he begins to enjoy the service until he has enjoyed the worth of credit loaded on the meter. There is also no need for the monthly bills normally associated with the old system which are dispatched by the PHCN staff
Our investigations revealed that a single phase meter costs twenty two thousand five hundred naira with the exclusion of processing fees while a three phase meter costs fifty thousand naira minus processing fee.
