The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Wednesday said it would soon launch a power outage reporting application aimed at addressing complaints on power outage across the country.

The Vice-Chairman, NERC, Dr Musiliu Oseni, disclosed this at the inauguration of Ogun Complaints Forum Office, located at Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta.

Oseni said the development of the app would help NERC to ease and fast-track the process of reporting power outages and improving electricity supply in Nigeria

“This is part of our efforts at leveraging on technology to address complaints on power outage,” he said


He explained that the application would be integrated to the systems of the various electricity distribution companies (Discos) which would trigger alerts immediately power outage complaints were made by customers.

“Already the app can be downloaded through Google Play or Apple Store.

“The pilot scheme will start and be rolled out for Abuja customers in the next few weeks and it will thereafter be rolled out nationwide.,” he said.

Oseni explained that the new Ogun forum office was the 31st office established across the country, adding that NERC planned to establish a minimum of one of such office in each state of the country to enable electricity consumers lodge their complaints to NERC.

“The electricity sector is still fraught with a lot of challenges and some of them are beyond the control of the utility providers.

“Some are systemic problems that require strong efforts and commitment on the parts of the policy makers, regulators and well meaning Nigerians.

“The commission wants to ensure that it performs its oversight function rooted in international best practices and without discrimination.

“It is part of efforts to realise this aspiration that this forum office is being unveiled,” he said.

“A five-member panel has been carefully selected from local communities in the state to adjudicate on any complaints brought to the forum.

“The panel will consider each case based on already established rules and laws in tune with the Nigerian constitution and then deliver its ruling on the matter,” he said.

He, however, explained that the first point of call for lodgment and resolution of complaints should be the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), which is the distribution company in charge of Ogun State.

“Only when complaints are not resolved or satisfactorily attended to within two weeks are customers expected to escalate to the NERC forum office,” he said.

The Chief Operating Officer of IBEDC, Mr. John Ayodele, in his address, noted that the development was a demonstration of NERC’s commitment to putting the customers first.

Ayodele, represented by Deolu Ijose, Chief Commercial Officer, IBEDC, said the forum was in line with the firm’s goal of taking service delivery to higher heights through “customer centric initiatives”.


He encouraged IBEDC customers in Ogun to take advantage of various platforms created by the firm and the NERC to get their complaints resolved.

“With over two million customers across our franchise of Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and parts of Ekiti, Kogi and Niger, some customer’ dissatisfaction are bound to happen.

“The push back from the Service Based Tariff (SBT), capping methodology, general economic situation and the unrealistic expectations from customers who still consider power as a social service are factors that constantly generate controversies.

“Hence, the need for the NERC forum office which will serve as an unbiased arbiter,” he said.

Ayodele noted that over 134,000 of the 159,000 complaints received across IBEDC’s franchise in 2021 were resolved.

He expressed optimism that the forum office will mediate over knotty issues and also help to educate customers on their rights and obligations.



https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/nerc-to-launch-power-outage-reporting-app/

Lolzzz... We like to deceive ourselves in dis country. Will the app upgrade power generation or distribution? How will reporting outages change the epileptic nature of power supply in most areas

Even as i want comment EEDC Just collect their light. Complaint from Imo state alone will make the app to malfunction.

NIGERIA ELECTRICITY SYSTEM NEEDS TOTAL REORGANIZATION NEPA NEED TO GIVE UP SOME AREAS TO ANOTHER SERVICE PROVIDER
If your area is affected by adverse electricity supply at the moment, like your light is off for 2/3days continuously in a week, better know that your street/area may have been tagged by NEPA as an inconsequential area (debtors zone) and your light situation may never improve. One of the characteristics of such area is that only few houses have prepaid meter, even if you ask for it NEPA may not give you. NEPA is indirectly saying that they are not interested in doing business with that area. Thus the earlier the Government allow consumers/communities who can afford it to get another service provider in such an area the better. At least it will be better than running generator for 24hrs or for small business to continue to close down.

NEPA's excuse is that those areas do not pay bills, many if them are owing. But NEPA has the option to disconnect people who have not paid, but no they do not want to disconnect since they can always send bills every month whether there is light or not (NEPA gives no disconnection notice again, if your light is disconnected, monthly billing will continue except you write a letter to your area NEPA office for billing to stop).

If you are a tenant in such an area, waiting for Electricity supply to improve may just be a dream, you need to seek alternative accommodation in an area with better electricity supply.

This matter is very painful, but it is a fact that NEPA is not interested in serving everybody. Government need to allow others to generate their own electricity if possible and NEPA should formerly tell the Government that they cannot serve the whole Country, that another Electricity supplier is needed.

The situation has got to a stage that is nearly irredeemable for such area, all due to corruption as one of the root cause. NEPA want to continue collecting money for electricity not supplied. And NEPA will bring their own argument of people using the light without paying (but they can be disconnected) , why suffer a whole area because of some people that are not paying bills, at least you have the option to disconnect their light/cut and take the cable away as usual. Now this curruption is about to destroy our whole electrical distribution system .

Something has to be down before the situation creates a social revote

NIGERIA ELECTRICITY SYSTEM NEEDS TOTAL REORGANIZATION NEPA NEED TO GIVE UP SOME AREAS TO ANOTHER SERVICE PROVIDER
If your area is affected by adverse electricity supply at the moment, like your light is off for 2/3days continuously in a week, better know that your street/area may have been tagged by NEPA as an inconsequential area (debtors zone) and your light situation may never improve. One of the characteristics of such area is that only few houses have prepaid meter, even if you ask for it NEPA may not give you. NEPA is indirectly saying that they are not interested in doing business with that area. Thus the earlier the Government allow consumers/communities who can afford it to get another service provider in such an area the better. At least it will be better than running generator for 24hrs or for small business to continue to close down.

NEPA's excuse is that those areas do not pay bills, many if them are owing. But NEPA has the option to disconnect people who have not paid, but no they do not want to disconnect since they can always send bills every month whether there is light or not (NEPA gives no disconnection notice again, if your light is disconnected, monthly billing will continue except you write a letter to your area NEPA office for billing to stop).

If you are a tenant in such an area, waiting for Electricity supply to improve may just be a dream, you need to seek alternative accommodation in an area with better electricity supply.

This matter is very painful, but it is a fact that NEPA is not interested in serving everybody. Government need to allow others to generate their own electricity if possible and NEPA should formerly tell the Government that they cannot serve the whole Country, that another Electricity supplier is needed.

The situation has got to a stage that is nearly irredeemable for such area, all due to corruption as one of the root cause. NEPA want to continue collecting money for electricity not supplied. And NEPA will bring their own argument of people using the light without paying (but they can be disconnected) , why suffer a whole area because of some people that are not paying bills, at least you have the option to disconnect their light/cut and take the cable away as usual. Now this curruption is about to destroy our whole electrical distribution system .

Something has to be down before the situation creates a social revolt