The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Thursday sealed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) in the Alausa area of Lagos State for violation of consumer rights.
The Director of Surveillance and Investigation at the FCCPC, Bola Adeyinka, said the move aligns with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
“Sealing this facility is a proportionate enforcement measure taken only after repeated engagement and several opportunities for voluntary compliance. The seal will remain in place until Ikeja Electric complies fully with the directives issued by both NERC and the FCCPC and provides written evidence of that compliance,” Adeyinka said.
In November 2024, the FCCPC, as part of its regulatory oversight in the power sector, had threatened to penalise IKEDC and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) if they flouted its directive to immediately halt the replacement of Unistar prepaid meters.
This directive was issued due to the DisCos’ non-compliance with instructions from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, emphasised that NERC’s order mandates DisCos to prioritise metering for unmetered customers under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and to adhere strictly to guidelines when replacing faulty or obsolete meters.
IKEDC Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie, said the company would continue to engage with the Commission to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
He explained that the issue with FCCPC was based on an isolated case of a customer demanding multiple meters.
“The non-compliance issue being referred to is about a customer using his property as a hotel with a single Maximum Demand meter and later converting the property to residential, with a demand for 20 non-Maximum Demand meters at the same address,” he said.
He noted that effecting this change is not an easy process, adding that the company had tried to explain this to the FCCPC.
Okotie, while highlighting the effect the FCCPC action will have on its operations, said all operations happen at the headquarters and could have been disrupted, but the company is ensuring that services continue seamlessly.
“Our focus is to ensure supply is not disrupted as long as we have supply on our feeders,” he said.
He added that the company would continue to engage with the consumer watchdog to ensure the issue is resolved amicably.