Ikeja Electric Resumes Disconnection, Urges Customers to Pay Bills

AgegePulse Magazine

The suspension earlier placed on disconnection of power supply of its customers has been lifted by Ikeja Electric.

On April 1, 2020, Business Post reported that Ikeja Electric announced that it would not be disconnecting electricity of non-paying customers within its franchise network during the 2-week stay-at-home period enforced by federal government to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The move, according to the Acting CEO of Ikeja Electric, Ms Folake Soetan, was to ensure that “our customers enjoy steady and quality supply throughout this difficult period and beyond. We recognize the fact that electricity supply is critical to our ability to stay safe, clean and indoors.”

Last Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that from May 4, 2020, there would be an ease in the 5-week lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States.

In a notice today, Ikeja Electric said following the development, it was lifting the suspension on disconnection activities, urging energy consumers to pay their bills.

The electricity distribution firm said the appeal became necessary because of its need to meet some obligations to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

“As we begin partial lockdown, we use this medium to inform our customers of the need to start paying their bills to avoid power cuts as we have also lifted the suspension of disconnection activities.

“The request is necessitated by the need to meet our obligations to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), as paying your bills will enable us to meet our financial obligation to the market operators and this will ensure that the country continues to generate power supply,” Ikeja Electric said.

While thanking its customers for their “continued understanding and allowing us to serve you,” the company appealed to consumers to “continue to adhere to all the safety rules of personal hygiene and social distancing.”

Ikeja Electric expressed hope that business activities will gradually return to normal with the partial lifting of the lockdown order by the federal government.

It was learnt that throughout the period of the lockdown, Ikeja Electric focused on increasing supply to its customers.

Business post

COVID-19: Ikeja Electric suspends disconnection of electricity during lockdown

AgegePulse Magazine

Nigeria’s electricity distribution company, Ikeja Electric Plc, has announced that non-paying customers within its franchise network will not be disconnected during the two-week stay-at-home period enforced by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19.

According to the Disco, the decision to suspend all disconnection activities was taken to allow all its customers enjoy electricity supply during the lockdown period, while giving consideration to those who cannot afford to pay their March 2020 bills due to the closure.

While making the announcement in a statement on Wednesday, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the company, Folake Soetan, said, “At Ikeja Electric, we recognise the fact that electricity supply is critical to our ability to stay safe, clean and indoors.

“Therefore, we have also taken a decision to suspend all disconnection activities of non-paying customers for a period of two weeks starting today.

"This is to ensure that customers who cannot afford to pay their March bills due to the closure continue to enjoy supply until the stay at home order is lifted. Customers who also wish to pay their bills can also do so using any of our designated online payment platforms. Our prepaid customers can buy energy online using any of your preferred online banking or merchant platforms. You can also visit our website to purchase vending units."

Speaking further, she noted that Ikeja Electric has put measures in place to ensure that engineers and technicians are available to clear all forced and unforced outages, while also continuing with the preventive maintenance programmes.

Punch