Eko Electricity distribution company (EKEDC), Nigeria’s leading power utility firm that connects major parts of Lagos to the grid, has appealed the judgement of an Igbosere High Court, which awarded N1 Million damages against the company in the case filed by one Sunday Babalola.
In a statement signed by EKEDC General Manager, Corporate Communications, Godwin Idemudia, the company has appealed the judgement on the premise that it is inconsistent with industry regulation, as the company has the right to demand for outstanding payments before reconnection in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)`s Connection and Disconnection Procedure for Electricity Services, 2007.
Recall that the claimant Sunday Babalola had approached the court over what he described as EKEDC’s refusal to connect his property situated at 7B Brown Road over unpaid outstanding electricity Bill, the court awarded N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) damages against EKEDC.
Idemudia said “the claimant on purchase of the property situated at 7B Brown Road in July 2019 failed to carry out due diligence on the existing outstanding bill on the property and making sure that the previous owner settled all outstanding electricity bills before the conclusion of the sale transaction”.
Idemudia disclosed that on approaching EKEDC to be reconnected to our infrastructure, the company informed Babalola that “there is an outstanding bill left unpaid by the previous owner of the property before he secretly sold the property to the Claimant without any recourse or notice to us.”
Idemudia reiterated that the company has always carried out its operation within regulatory framework and industry guideline, it is therefore confident that the judgement will be overturned at the appellate court.
He concluded by reassuring its customers that the company is deeply committed to improved service delivery.
EKEDC Profile
Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) was established as an offshoot of the privatization of the Nigerian Electricity Distribution Industry (NESI) and the unbundling of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in November 2013 with the sole responsibility of distributing electricity to the Southern parts of Lagos and Agbara in Ogun state.
The Company has over 550,000 customers on its network and is the third largest distribution company in the country receiving between 11 and 15 percent of the total energy allocation from the national grid for distribution.
Widely acknowledged for its customer centric approach, EKEDC is a leader in technology, customer experience and service excellence and boasts of excellent performances in the electricity distribution space as it ranks top of the overall ratings by the electricity market regulator, The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
