Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,191,513 members, 7,944,510 topics. Date: Monday, 09 September 2024 at 05:46 PM

Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity - Politics (3) - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity (21885 Views)

60% Of Metered Customers Bypass Meters, Says TCN / FG Begins Nationwide Distribution Of 1m Free Meters In Kano, Kaduna, Lagos / Buhari: Why I Trekked 800 Meters In Daura - President Reveals (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (Reply) (Go Down)

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Enskynelson(m): 10:06pm On Jul 28
I don't support energy theft at all. If u ever fuel your Gen, you will find PHCN a big relief.

2 Likes

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by ArcSEMPECJ(m): 10:06pm On Jul 28
Currently....am paying 4 units @ #1000 as of now....

From paying 5000 to purchase a month plus units , am now spending 20,000 to purchase the same month plus units....

So tell me , why won't one be tempted to do illegal connection or bypass meter

Government should be fast to get all basic things affordable to the citizens...

You removed fuel subsidy....

You removed Electricity subsidy.....

You removed food subsidy.....

Removed Security Subsidy....

What kind of Government is this?

Why not remove one first and know if you can handle and change things before removing the next?

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by LIVINGICONREBOR: 10:07pm On Jul 28
LoyalPal44:
Good evening, well-meaning Nigerians.

Please, I need your help Sir/Ma.

My name is Olaoluwa. I am 32 years old and an O-Level holder. I had a car accident last year, lost my job, and became jobless for months.

Please help me; I am seriously hungry. The last time I ate was Thursday evening, and it was my remaining garri that I drank. I have not eaten any other food since Thursday evening other than the water that I have been drinking to gain some strength. I can no longer endure the hunger; my body is starting to shake. Please, my people, I am really sorry for begging, but it is just that I am starving to death. Please, someone should help me with something to eat, no matter the amount. I don't mind. I will always appreciate you. I am starving. I know things are very hard these days. Anything you have to spare, I would really appreciate it.

I live at No 29, Kajola Street, Bode.Olude, Ita.Elega, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

If you live near me, please invite me for lunch; I am dying of hunger. May you never lack the good things in life. Please have mercy on me and help me.

My phone number is 0 7 0 1 8 9 7 4 5 8 3

Please help me with any amount, #600 will do a lot for me at this time.

Please, my bank details are:

Access Bank PLC
0 0 2 4 8 6 9 3 2 3
My name is Olaoluwa

Thank you very much. May God continue to bless and protect you. Amen


I want to sell my Tecno Pop 4.

Price: #30,000
Location: Abeokuta
Call: 0 7 0 1 8 9 7 4 5 8 3

Please buy my phone. I need to buy food, I am beginning to feel pain in my stomach.

Loyalpal44,ReliableAgent02,Olaoluwasp,
Easygoingman32,Olaoluwa23,Sukhses,bolarinwatips,quadri, Tunde Otukomaya etc

Why must you lie and conjure fables just to fleece people of their money? You are not sick and you are an able bodied guy. You can't keep on going on like this. The worst of all is you going to use the money given to you for betting.

Folks beware, that guy is not genuine

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Vergovert: 10:08pm On Jul 28
stanliwise:

I know, I want to see if he falls for my own trap too

Good luck!
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by 3seriez(m): 10:20pm On Jul 28
Kobicove:
I wonder how a normal human being would happily spend over six months enjoying for free a service which costs a lot of money to produce!


That's how I was told one big man in our Area with 6 bedroom duplex also bypassed meter, his AC is always on.
If you can afford such edifice with luxury cars, wearing babariga and claiming big man but still go ahead to bypass meter. Very unfortunate. Our people too are terrible.

2 Likes

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Blackdisciple(m): 10:21pm On Jul 28
But same NEPA has been thiefing us na, it's a drow drow
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by izubext007: 10:22pm On Jul 28
wen the government bye pass the tarrif did we complain
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by joseph1832(m): 10:26pm On Jul 28
Nefort:

The bill is too much. If it's affordable they wouldn't be pushed to steal.
when it was cheap, they still don't pay. Your reason isn't feasible at all.

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by otokx(m): 10:26pm On Jul 28
The Discos are not serious to catch who bypass? They should have an IT dashboard that can identify at a click of the button all those who have bypass and the amount that they ought to have paid.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Johnthesuccess: 10:27pm On Jul 28
Amuluonyenaego:
Na Tinubu cause am


You people are despicable. You are not fit to leave among humans.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Nefort: 10:28pm On Jul 28
joseph1832:
when it was cheap, they still don't pay. Your reason isn't feasible at all.
But the numbers were far less. Now the stealing has increased far higher since they increased the tariff.

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Entanglement: 10:30pm On Jul 28
FreeStuffsNG:
The GENCOs average electricity generation stands at about 3,000 to 4,5000 MW compared to Nigeria’s installed generating capacity of 10,396 MW.

Limited access to foreign exchange as well as unfavourable exchange rate, are among the major threats to power generation.

According to latest World Bank figures, Nigeria’s average electricity consumption per inhabitant is only 150 kWh per capita, which is one of the lowest in the world.

High and regular system collapses, inadequate manpower to ensure proper maintenance of transmission equipment, and the continuous vandalisation of transmission equipment have contributed to the low electricity consumption per inhabitant.

Also, the DISCOs are said to be in huge debt and are poorly funded.


This, our correspondent gathered, is due to poor revenue collection framework and inefficient supply from the national grid.

Further, the Federal Government and the National Assembly have asserted that the privatisation process has not worked as expected.

The government also agreed to the need for urgent actions in the power sector, which will involve the review of the privatisation process.

The Federal Government has undoubtedly taken vital steps in resuscitating the electricity sector – from privatisation, intervention funds, meter procurement, and investment in new power plants to mention but a few.

However, experts argue that there is still much-needed improvement in the sector.

Energy theft

As electricity tariffs surge in Nigeria, businesses and households are finding increasingly desperate ways to cut costs.


Amidst the financial strain of rising utility bills, a shadowy economy has emerged, where the quest for cheaper power drives individuals and enterprises to bypass the official channels of electricity distribution.


This underground economy, fueled by widespread power theft, involves illegal connections directly from utility poles and tampering with metering systems.

From scaling electricity poles to hacking meters, the practices not only undermine the financial stability of electricity distribution companies but also compromise the reliability of the national power grid.

While there are other challenges confronting the power sector in Nigeria, electricity theft confronting the Discos poses a much greater challenge.

A safety expert and engineer based in Benin City, Edo State, Mr Miracle Morgan, defines energy theft as the criminal act of using electricity without paying for it.

According to him, it includes but is not limited to rigging an electricity line from the power source by bypassing the meter, unlawful direct connection to the distribution source, tampering with the meter for lower readings, billing irregularities by using employees of electricity companies and unpaid bills.

“The challenge of electricity theft therefore, must be put into consideration to the needed improvements in the power sector as it will boost supply in the nation,” he said.


According to research carried out by four researchers – Augustine Osigwe, Chukwuemeka Onyimadu, Chinedu Ikpeazu, and Adaobi Ofordeme – in their work titled, ‘Electricity theft in Nigeria: How effective are the existing laws?’, there is an overwhelming concern that if electricity theft is not controlled urgently, it will contribute immensely to a continued cycle of mounting debts and inefficiencies for not just the DISCOs but also the GENCOs.

They wrote, “There is an estimated average loss of about N21 billion annually in the power sector to energy theft.”

In 2013, for instance, Sustainable Energy for All ranked Nigeria as the 165th out of 195 countries in terms of electricity supply.

Discos have argued that electricity theft is one of the leading causes of the liquidity crisis in Nigeria’s electricity supply market.

It also claimed that a relatively large number of electricity consumers do not pay for electricity used, resulting in significant financial shortfalls.

Nextier Power’s discussions with DisCos reveal that about 10 to 18 per cent of the aggregate revenue losses are attributable to power theft.

Issues on Electricity Theft in Nigeria Electricity theft is a serious problem for the entire value chain of the power sector.


A safety expert and chief electrical officer in an oil and gas servicing firm in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Terry Promise, stated that theft of electricity increases prices for customers and reduces safety.

Speaking to our correspondent, he said, “Power or electricity theft leads to misallocation of costs among suppliers, which can distort competition and hamper the efficient functioning of the market. operators.”

The researchers – Osigwe, Onyimadu, Ikpeazu and Ofordeme – also added that, when electricity theft occurs, the cost of purchasing electricity from the GENCOs through TCN will be higher than the revenue collected from the sales of electricity to consumers.

This is so because, according to them, electricity theft allows consumers to use electricity without paying for it. Electricity theft leaves the Discos with a huge liability.

“The Discos are unable to pay for electricity transmitted from the Gencos, which makes them reject electricity while remaining indebted to the Gencos.

“In turn, this reduces revenues to the GENCOs while increasing the cost of generating electricity. The GENCOs cannot meet their obligations to gas suppliers, rendering them highly indebted with reduced effectiveness in performing their primary function.

“Electricity theft induces a cycle of indebtedness and ineffectiveness for both the DISCOs and GENCOs.


“The occurrence of electricity theft has become dire. For instance, in 2014, the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (now Ikeja Electric) reported that 43,000 prepaid meters out of 134,000 installed by the company had already been tampered with by their owners in five years.

“Similarly, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in 2017 reported a loss of about 30 per cent of expected revenue to energy theft. The distribution company noted that energy theft represented a huge revenue leakage to the company.

“Also, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company reported a loss of about 43 per cent of its expected monthly revenue to energy theft. Further, more recently, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company reported that it was losing over N1.2 billion monthly to energy theft and commercial losses in its network.”

Band-A tariff hike

Earlier in the year, Nigeria witnessed a significant adjustment in its electricity tariff, particularly affecting customers under Band A.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved an increase, setting the tariff at approximately N225 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for Band A customers, who are typically households and businesses receiving up to 20 hours of electricity per day.

This decision was part of broader regulatory measures aimed at achieving cost-reflective tariffs in the country.


The increase in tariffs was driven by several factors, including the rising cost of natural gas, a key input in electricity generation.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised the base price for natural gas from $2.18 to $2.42 per metric million British thermal unit, reflecting global energy price trends.

This adjustment, alongside other operational costs, necessitated a review of electricity tariffs to ensure the sustainability of the power sector.

For consumers, particularly those in Band A, the tariff hike represents a substantial increase in electricity expenses.

This change comes at a time when Nigeria’s economy is grappling with various challenges, including high inflation rates, fluctuating exchange rates, and general economic instability.

The increased cost of electricity can exacerbate the financial strain on households and businesses, potentially leading to higher operating costs for businesses and increased living expenses for families.

The tariff increase also brings to light the issue of electricity affordability and access.


While the Band A category is often associated with more affluent consumers or businesses, the overall economic environment means that even these groups may feel the financial pinch.

And feeling the pain of this Band A categorisation is the health sector.

The newly implemented tariff hike is crippling essential services in tertiary and private healthcare facilities, leaving them struggling to survive and on the brink of imminent shutdown.

Teaching hospitals and privately-owned healthcare facilities are in a desperate battle to stay afloat in the face of escalating costs, which threatens the very core of patient care.

Recently, hospital administrators decried the huge cost of operations, lamenting that they were struggling to keep essential services running, and that patients were the ones bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Amid this, there is a broader concern that other bands, particularly those with less reliable power supply, might also face tariff hikes in the future, further burdening lower-income households and small scale businesses.

NERC’s addresses concerns

In response to concerns about fairness and service quality, NERC implemented several measures. These include stricter monitoring of service delivery commitments by electricity distribution companies.

Discos are required to maintain a minimum service level for their customers, and failure to do so can lead to penalties or the downgrade of customers to lower tariff bands, which are associated with lower service expectations.

Customers categorised as Band A, now pay over N209 per kilowatt-hour instead of N68/kWh following the removal of electricity subsidies.

Additionally, NERC also mandated the rapid deployment of metering infrastructure to prevent overbilling and ensure transparency. This initiative is crucial as metering has historically been a contentious issue in Nigeria, with many consumers billed on estimated consumption rather than actual usage.

The tariff increase also reflects a broader shift towards market-based pricing in Nigeria’s energy sector. While this approach aims to improve the financial health of the electricity market and attract investment, it poses significant risks for consumers, particularly in a country with a high poverty rate and limited social safety nets.

To mitigate the impact, the Nigerian government and NERC have been exploring various measures, such as subsidies for vulnerable consumers and incentives for energy efficiency.

However, the success of these measures depends on effective implementation and robust regulatory oversight.


An economist and tax expert, Mr Dayo Adedayo, stated that the electricity tariff increase for Band A customers in Nigeria was a significant policy shift aimed at creating a more sustainable energy sector.

However, for him, it also highlights the ongoing challenges of affordability, service delivery, and regulatory compliance in the country’s power market.

He added, “As Nigeria continues to navigate these complex issues, the balance between economic viability for service providers and affordability for consumers will be critical in ensuring a stable and equitable electricity supply.”

Energy theft too much, IKEDC laments

On Saturday, IE lamented the rise in energy theft in the past three months of the Band A tariff increase.

This is even as the DisCo threatened that offenders caught in the act of energy theft would be immediately charged, reiterating that the era of merely imposing loss of revenue penalty alone on offenders was over. The company made this announcement at its July stakeholders forum.

In a statement published on its website, IE’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kingsley Okotie, lamented the increase in energy theft, “especially over the last three months following the implementation of the reviewed tariff on Band A feeders”.


Okotie noted that the company and the entire electricity value chain cannot survive if energy theft goes unchecked.

“The theft is massive and the company cannot guarantee meeting customer expectations if this ugly trend continues.

“Ironically, some perpetrators believe that if they haven’t been caught, there are no consequences. This is false, and we must change the narrative,” he said.

Whistleblowing platform

Speaking on the strategies to curb theft, the company’s spokesman mentioned that a whistle-blowing platform had been created for customers and well-meaning Nigerians to report incidents anonymously.

He added that the platform is managed independently of the business, ensuring customers’ identities remain anonymous and highly confidential.

In 2022, the Executive Director of Research and Advocacy for the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Chief Sunday Oduntan, highlighted the severe impact of energy theft on service delivery during an interactive session with electricity consumers in Ibadan.


The Eko Electricity Distribution Company, that same year, reported a 21 per cent increase in energy theft cases, with over 21,000 incidents recorded over the past five years, resulting in revenue losses running into billions.

Wola Joseph, EKEDC’s Chief Legal Officer, noted that areas like the Agbara district face an average of 32 energy theft incidents monthly, costing nearly N4m, with total losses exceeding N35m annually.

Similarly, the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, reported significant losses due to energy theft, with CEO Bello Mohammed, indicating that only 59.67 per cent of customers with prepaid meters responded, leaving a 40.33 per cent non-response rate.

This non-compliance, coupled with illegal connections, leads to an estimated loss of N2bn monthly, with 350 cases of bypasses detected each month.

These issues have been noted to continually challenge Nigeria’s electricity sector, hindering revenue generation and service improvement.

Adedayo, further speaking on the matter, stated that Nigerians, knowingly or unknowingly, defraud the electricity supply market through various illegal practices.

He stated that non-payment of electricity bills is a major issue for Discos.

According to him, many consumers fail to pay their bills in full, creating a significant revenue shortfall for the utilities.

He said, “Another prevalent problem is the manipulation of electricity bills, which involves altering the bill amounts through corrupt practices. This typically requires the collusion of utility staff, who may be bribed by customers to adjust their bills fraudulently.

“Meter tampering is also a serious concern. Some customers manipulate their electricity meters to either inaccurately report their consumption or bypass the meter altogether. Reports from Nextier Power indicate that by mid-2019, approximately 50 per cent of meters installed between 2016 and 2018 had been tampered with.”

What the law says

The Nigerian legal system makes provision for the prohibition of electricity theft and also imposes penalties for perpetrators of the offence.

Section 94 (3) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (2005) provides that ‘Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, any person who willfully destroys, injures or removes equipment or apparatus of a licensee commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for not less than five years and not more than seven years.’

The Miscellaneous Offences Act also consists of provisions dealing with tampering with electrical equipment.

Section 1(9) of the MOA provides that “any person who unlawfully disconnects, removes, damages, tampers, meddles with or in any way whatsoever interferes with any plant, works, cables, wire or assembly of wires designed or used for transforming or converting electricity shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life”.

Section 1(10) of the MOA additionally provides that “any person who unlawfully disconnects, removes, damages, tampers, meddles with or in any way whatsoever interferes with any electric fittings, meters or other appliances used for generating, transforming, converting, conveyancing, supplying or selling electricity shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21 years”.

Additionally, under section 96 (2) of the EPSRA (2005) which confers power to make regulations on NERC, the regulator has made several regulations, of particular importance is the regulation to deter the theft of electricity, theft and destruction of electricity supply infrastructure, and penalties for such theft.

The NERC Theft and Other Related Regulations (2014) stipulates in Regulation 1 that “anyone who willfully and unlawfully connects to overhead, underground, or underwater lines, cables, service wires, or facilities of a licensee; or tampers with a meter, uses a tampered meter, install a current reversing transformer, use shorting wires, loop connections, or any device that interferes with accurate metering, or bypass a meter to receive electricity without proper registration” has committed an offence.

It also stated, “Anyone who damages or destroys an electric meter, equipment, wire, or conduit, causing interference with accurate metering or consumption of electricity without authorization will be guilty of an offence under Sections 383 and 400 of the Criminal Code, Section 286 (2) of the Penal Code, and Section 1 of this Regulation”.

Penalties include imprisonment as specified in Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Section 287 of the Penal Code and Section 94 of the EPSR Act.

Smart metering

To curb electricity theft in Nigeria, especially during periods of increased tariffs, Morgan stated that the Discos must deploy advanced metering infrastructure.

He said, “Invest in smart meters with real-time monitoring capabilities to detect tampering or unauthorised usage immediately.

“Use data analytics to identify unusual consumption patterns and schedule regular physical inspections of meters and connections to catch tampering early.”

Stricter enforcement

A lawyer, Mrs. Sodienye Jumbo, also suggested strict enforcement of regulations and collaboration with law enforcement.

She said, “Increase enforcement of the NERC Theft and Other Related Regulations, with regular audits and stricter penalties for offenders.

“Work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure swift prosecution of theft-related crimes and to deter potential offenders.”

Jumbo also advised Discos to run awareness campaigns to educate consumers about the legal consequences of electricity theft and the importance of paying bills.

who you expect make he read all this stuff?

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by joseph1832(m): 10:32pm On Jul 28
Nefort:

But the numbers were far less. Now the stealing has increased far higher since they increased the tariff.
how did you know the numbers were far less?
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Tayorshd87: 10:33pm On Jul 28
It's a normal thing as long as we are in Nigeria.

So no yawa

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by lacasera14(m): 10:34pm On Jul 28
Some of them are not electricity thefts. Some the meters malfunction while the house continue to have power. That is not tampering because nobody touched it. Na grace be that 😂

2 Likes

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by IbnB: 10:38pm On Jul 28
You cannot expect Nigerians to pay the same prices for electricity as the developed nations when they're receiving 3% of the minimum wage those countries get

What is happening in Nigeria at this moment is the practice of premium wickedness and witchcraft, it is the classic experience of man's inhumanity to his fellow man

2 Likes

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by freemanq(m): 10:45pm On Jul 28
Keep up increasing your nonsense tariff and expect people to look at you just like day. It's Goal Goal

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by lapintoz: 11:02pm On Jul 28
Chai...and I just dashed the guy small dough.

Noted!

LIVINGICONREBOR:


Loyalpal44,ReliableAgent02,Olaoluwasp,
Easygoingman32,Olaoluwa23,Sukhses,bolarinwatips,quadri, Tunde Otukomaya etc

Why must you lie and conjure fables just to fleece people of their money? You are not sick and you are an able bodied guy. You can't keep on going on like this. The worst of all is you going to use the money given to you for betting.

Folks beware, that guy is not genuine
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by maasoap(m): 11:04pm On Jul 28
inoki247:
Lol nothing new 80 percent of Nigerians don dey by pass no be today including Alfa, Pastors people meant to lead by examples and preach Morality....



I'm in band A area and I'm free of bypassing. But 4 units of electricity for 1k is wickedness!

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:07pm On Jul 28
there is no energy theft in Nigeria. the people who run these companies rob Nigerians dry and turn around to say they are in debt. You take loans from the bank and when interest rates are applied, you realised it was a stupid decision but you went ahead because it is not your money that would pay the debt but Nigerians earning less than 30k minimum wage.

You make them buy electrical equipment and connect to the grid. then you make them pay you for darkness.

I 100% SUPPORT ANYONE BYPASSING THEIR USELESS METERS BECAUSE IT WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT IF THE COMPANY WAS PROPERLY MANAGED. THE BILLS THESE GUYS DISTRIBUTE IS AN INDIRECT WAY OF SAYING BYPASS THE METER AND SETTLE US WHEN WE CATCH YOU.

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:08pm On Jul 28
maasoap:


I'm in band A area and I'm free of bypassing. But 4 units of electricity for 1k is wickedness!
THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BYPASS THE METER, THEY MAKE MORE MONEY FROM CATCHING PEOPLE THAT BYPASS METERS THAN ACTUALLY SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY.

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by GenFunction: 11:08pm On Jul 28
Villa been dey owe nepa shey?
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:10pm On Jul 28
otokx:
The Discos are not serious to catch who bypass? They should have an IT dashboard that can identify at a click of the button all those who have bypass and the amount that they ought to have paid.
lol. the ogas have used the companies to collect bank loan and buy houses abroad, you are here telling them to use IT and catch who is bypassing meter. Yahoo get levels if you don't know cheesy
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by IdeasYapayaski: 11:14pm On Jul 28
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:16pm On Jul 28
ArcSEMPECJ:
Currently....am paying 4 units @ #1000 as of now....

From paying 5000 to purchase a month plus units , am now spending 20,000 to purchase the same month plus units....

So tell me , why won't one be tempted to do illegal connection or bypass meter

Government should be fast to get all basic things affordable to the citizens...

You removed fuel subsidy....

You removed Electricity subsidy.....

You removed food subsidy.....

Removed Security Subsidy....

What kind of Government is this?

Why not remove one first and know if you can handle and change things before removing the next?

ITS LIKE YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE. THEY WANT YOU TO BYPASS THE METER. YOU SHOULD NOT BE PAYING THOSE PRIVATE COMPANIES FOR THEIR POOR DECISION MAKING SKILLS. IF THEY CANNOT RUN POWER DISTRIBUTION, THEY SHOULD CLOSE SHOP AND GET OUT.

THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THIS BECAUSE NIGERIANS HAVE NOT SURED THEM FOR NOT SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY. THE NORMAL THING IS TO PAY FOR ELECTRIC POWER AND LIVE IN DARKNESS. IF ONLY NIGERIANS START SUING THESE ELECTRIC COMPANIES FOR NOT SUPPLYING POWER, THEN THEY WOULD SIT UP.

THESE DISCOS HAVE BEEN PAMPERED FOR SO LONG THEY NOW HAVE AN UNDUE SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT TO YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. so many communities rallied around to donate monies in order to set up important power distribution equipment, only for these private companies to charge you for not supplying electricity.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by PHAYOL81: 11:19pm On Jul 28
..8.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:20pm On Jul 28
Enskynelson:
I don't support energy theft at all. If u ever fuel your Gen, you will find PHCN a big relief.
IT IS NOT ENERGY THEFT, those companies are stealing your money. Why is there no recurse when you have paid electricity bills and there is no power in your home? yet every month they come to you with an estimated bill for power not supplied.

If i walk up to you with a piece of paper that says you should pay me 17,349.98 for 2 crates of eggs I supplied you this July, would you pay?

THE DISCOS HAVE BEEN ROBBING NIGERIANS FOR TOO DAMN LONG, AND WHEN THE PEOPLE TAKE MATTERS TO THEIR OWN HANDS, MASS MEDIA WILL MAKE A STORY OUT OF IT.

In essence, they can steal from you, but you should not steal from them. Where is the justice?

1 Like

Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by alphaNomega: 11:24pm On Jul 28
yoribo:
How can you call it theft, while the people in government are the real thieves. Can any small scale business cope with this high cost of tariff. Is it not wickedness. How do you encourage SMES? Let’s be realistic without tribalism
thank you

I CAN NEVER SEE BYPASSING OF ELECTRIC METERS IN NIGERIA AS ENERGY THEFT. the real theft is making you pay money for electricity not supplied.

I have been paying my bills for months yet no light. suddenly i stop getting power and the bills keep coming. You must not be serious, I will climb that pole immediately and bypass the meter.

Later they will conjure story and tell you "it is because people bypass meter that tarriffs are high" Does that make any sense to you? read it again. Anyway, my full support goes to Nigerians bypassing their meters. the rot in the power sector ensures the system does not work no matter how much money you throw at it, just like our refineries including Ajaokuta.

All the people bypassing meters, that have been fined, did it improve power supply?

these guys are a private business and the goal of a private business is to make profit. they make more profit from extorting people who bypass meters than actually supplying power. that is why they print ridiculous bills to push people to bypass their meter then they extort you.

it's a win-win for them. if you pay the outrageous bill, they make money. if they catch you after extortion, they make money, in spite of all this, electric power was never supplied.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Kokomaster69: 11:48pm On Jul 28
I still wonder why the government doesn't think out of the box. Maybe they are accomplice as usual.

Has anyone challenged the government or DIsCos for the prepaid meters to be subjected to integrity tests? 99.9% of them will fail the test when subjected to integrity test as global best practice.

Speaking from what I know, almost all the meters being used by Nigerians are fraudulent programmed to cheat customers.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by olarent: 1:30am On Jul 29
See my people disco and government deserve whatever they got from Nigeria citizens, we bought pole, wire transformer and feeder pillar. Any responsibility of what they need to do they bill us from offing the light and others things they need to do for service we paid for it. Could you believe people kill fellow neighbours for failure to pay for transformer purchase when they disconnect their light? They go spiritually something that government need to buy. We still face our own as money to balance our payment as yet to complete I had to withdraw my service from the community when it's evidence that they started shooting arrow just to contribute to pay for new transformer bought, as we speak we are still on it. Abeg let people make their dividend since government and investor failed to do right things, citizen too can not do right thins.
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Candreva: 3:52am On Jul 29
Hand down the possible maximum penalty for this behavior. Arresting them and letting them off the hook after few days won't deter our people.
FreeStuffsNG:


https://punchng.com/uncovered-how-desperate-homes-businesses-bypass-meters-in-massive-electricity-theft/
Re: Uncovered: How Desperate Homes, Businesses Bypass Meters In Massive Electricity by Goodman247: 3:53am On Jul 29
Nigeria must be good from top.to.bottom , we must show responsibility, there should be laws against electricity theft, 3 years or a fine of 5M naira

(1) (2) (3) (4) (Reply)

King Of Morocco Telephones President Buhari, Wishes Him Well / Nigeria Abstains, As 49 AU Members Sign Free Trade Pact / Gunmen Abduct 15 Youths In Imo Community, Storm Monarch’s Palace

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 83
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.