- Electricity consumers can now report power outages through the mobile application.
- The application is available for download on Andriod and Apple stores.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has launched a mobile application for electricity consumers to report power outages. The application launched yesterday in Abuja is to empower customers with the necessary data to hold Distribution Companies (DisCos) accountable for poor service delivery.
The mobile application, available for download on Android and Apple Store, rolled out with Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). NERC expects the mobile application to check erratic power supply in the country, enable consumers to report outages, monitor the process of implications and hold the sector accountable for promises under the Service Based Tariff (SBT).
NERC issued an order on the migration of customers and compensation for service failure under the SBT framework. The order empowers customers to demand compensation for lost hours when power distribution companies fail to supply contracted hours under the SBT.
The Chairman of NERC, Sanusi Garba, said the development remained sacrosanct in the attempt to improve service delivery in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Garba said the development would further improve on data that would enable a transparent verification of DisCos’ compliance with the compensation order. The NERC chairman stressed the importance of the sector’s quality of service and the commission’s progress in ensuring that service providers are held accountable.
“This is part of our efforts at leveraging technology to address complaints of power outages and ensure quick resolution by DisCos and NERC. Many of you can recall that we recently launched a new consumer protection regulation that provides timelines within which public utilities, especially DisCos, are required to resolve customer complaints. So, this particular app that we have launched today is supposed to assist the commission in ensuring that DisCos are complying with the standards set out in that regulation,” Garba added.
The Commissioner of Consumer Affairs at NERC, Aisha Mahmud, said all the DisCos would deploy the application, adding that the move would create dual monitoring by the DisCos and the commission while empowering consumers. According to her, the application will ensure that electricity consumers get the best service, get value for their money from the DisCos, and are well protected.