From April 25 electricity consumers may pay between N25,000 and N50,000 for pre-paid metres for the single phase and three phase models, respectively, under the new Credited Advance Pay for Metering Implementation, CAPMI, scheme.

The price tag is aimed at fast tracking the deployment of pre-paid metres to customers across the country sequel to the failed free metre scheme initially proposed by the Federal Government.

CAPMI became necessary following complaints by consumers about poor electricity service delivery in the face of continued estimated billing by Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.

Under the new CAPMI arrangement, metres are still regarded as free, but are facilitated through advance payments, which are expected to be refunded through a rebate on a fixed charge element from customers’ bills.

Confirming the development, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, in a telephone chat said the single phase pre-paid metres would be sold for N25,000, while three phase metres would go for N50,000, adding that final arrangement and announcement will be made on April 25, when CAPMI would be rolled out fully.

However, it appears that nothing really has changed as the new prices for the pre-paid metres are similar to what electricity consumers paid prior to June 1, 2012, when government declared the metres free.

Under CAPMI, the Commission also disclosed that five Distribution Companies, DISCOs, would be used for the pilot scheme. They include Eko, Ibadan, Benin, Kano and Abuja DISCOs.

Amadi explained that the Commission was currently evaluating tenders submitted by bidders, adding that the call for tenders had closed, while details of shortlisted vendors had been sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, for ratification and eventual approval.

He said: “We are currently evaluating the bids submitted by various vendors. We don’t have a specific number of vendors to use but the preferred bidders will be announced.

“Nigerians should be patient with us as we are working hard to come out with a hitch-free programme. The payment process is also being looked into to ensure that things are transparent.”

Apapa Business Unit of PHCN, has appealed to customers in its network to pay up their debts which had risen to N2 billion.
source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/electricity-consumers-to-pay-n50000-for-pre-paid-metres-2/

PHCN is populated by rogues and criminals. In 2007,my husband paid for a digital meter for our house via First bank and was duly reciepted at the PHCN office controlling our district in Lagos.
He kept visiting the PHCN office regularly for the next four years,while the PHCN officials kept promising to deliver the digital meter. Meanwhile from 2008-2012 we kept paying estimated bills,that continued to rise from about 5000 Naira per month in 2008 to about 15000 per month in 2012.
Finally in 2013,my husband became fed up when the estimated bills clawed their way towards 20k per month and he decidede to visit the main PHCN office at Oshodi, where he learnt from PHCN records that the owner of our property- my husband had died(according to PHCN records) and the meter paid for in 2008 had been withdrawn and allocated to another consumer.
My husband asked the PHCN officials what was the next step since he was the bonafide owner of the property and as they could see he was very much,still alive. They replied he will have to wait for the new set of meters.
Based on this thread I think we gonna have to cough up 25-50k again,with bribes. Sad. Meanwhile the estimated billing system continues.

TheMadame: PHCN is populated by rogues and criminals. In 2007,my husband paid for a digital meter for our house via First bank and was duly reciepted at the PHCN office controlling our district in Lagos.
He kept visiting the PHCN office regularly for the next four years,while the PHCN officials kept promising to deliver the digital meter. Meanwhile from 2008-2012 we kept paying estimated bills,that continued to rise from about 5000 Naira per month in 2008 to about 15000 per month in 2012.
Finally in 2013,my husband became fed up when the estimated bills clawed their way towards 20k per month and he decidede to visit the main PHCN office at Oshodi, where he learnt from PHCN records that the owner of our property- my husband had died(according to PHCN records) and the meter paid for in 2008 had been withdrawn and allocated to another consumer.
My husband asked the PHCN officials what was the next step since he was the bonafide owner of the property and as they could see he was very much,still alive. They replied he will have to wait for the new set of meters.
Based on this thread I think we gonna have to cough up 25-50k again,with bribes. Sad. Meanwhile the estimated billing system continues.

So sad,the whole system is nothing but a huge joke.

TheMadame: PHCN is populated by rogues and criminals. In 2007,my husband paid for a digital meter for our house via First bank and was duly reciepted at the PHCN office controlling our district in Lagos.
He kept visiting the PHCN office regularly for the next four years,while the PHCN officials kept promising to deliver the digital meter. Meanwhile from 2008-2012 we kept paying estimated bills,that continued to rise from about 5000 Naira per month in 2008 to about 15000 per month in 2012.
Finally in 2013,my husband became fed up when the estimated bills clawed their way towards 20k per month and he decidede to visit the main PHCN office at Oshodi, where he learnt from PHCN records that the owner of our property- my husband had died(according to PHCN records) and the meter paid for in 2008 had been withdrawn and allocated to another consumer.
My husband asked the PHCN officials what was the next step since he was the bonafide owner of the property and as they could see he was very much,still alive. They replied he will have to wait for the new set of meters.
Based on this thread I think we gonna have to cough up 25-50k again,with bribes. Sad. Meanwhile the estimated billing system continues.

So sad,the whole system is nothing but a huge joke.