₦airaland Forum

I'm posting this here for lack of a proper category and for maximum exposure.

In Aba, and I can say this without hesitation — Aba Power is robbing us in broad daylight. Forget all the talk about 24-hour electricity. It’s a lie. What we get here is anything but constant power. We might have light for a few hours a day, sometimes less, and yet we’re being slammed with electricity bills that are simply outrageous.

Despite Aba Power’s claims, many of us still don’t have prepaid meters. My street, for example, remains unmetered. That means we’re still under their infamous “estimated billing” system, where they guess how much you’ve used and send a bill that makes no sense. They keep saying prepaid meters will be free, but until then, they drown people in fake arrears. And when they finally install the meter, those arrears are simply transferred onto it — making us pay for power we never used.

Let me give you a personal example.
By December 2024, the estimated bill for each apartment in my building was around ₦7,000 to ₦8,000. Then, by January 2025, it suddenly jumped to ₦28,000. In August, Aba Power brought bills of ₦48,000 each (three separate bills for my house). Then in September, they sent ₦88,000 per bill, multiplied by three.

Mind you, my house is a one-story building with six flats, and the tenants pay around ₦20,000–₦25,000 per month for rent. Aba Power now expects each tenant to pay nearly ₦40,000 every month for power that is rarely even available. How does that make sense?

Recently, Aba Power staff came to my house to disconnect us. When I protested, the supervisor said I was lucky to have just three bills. She threatened that she could easily issue one ₦88,000 bill to every single tenant. Imagine that level of arrogance!

What’s happening in Aba is nothing short of economic oppression. They inflate bills, pile up arrears, and force people into paying debts they don’t owe. It’s a clear strategy — raise the arrears so high that by the time prepaid meters arrive, people will spend years paying off fake debts.

We are paying for darkness. Paying for electricity we don’t get. And when we speak out, we’re threatened with disconnection. This isn’t just poor service — it’s daylight robbery.

Aba Power loves to appear in the news talking about transparency, free meters, and 24-hour supply. But on the ground, in places like Ogborhill, the story is completely different. People are suffering, and nobody seems to care.

All we want is fairness. We want meters in every home, honest billing, and power that actually works. Until then, Aba Power shouldn’t pretend to be a success story — not while they’re bleeding Aba residents dry in the name of electricity.

Lets see how much genuine interest this thread gets ....Lets see which politician from the Southeast will call out thi daylight robbery of their own people.

Watch and seem not a single comment will be heard.

You guys should enjoy it, shebi you were jubilating

You said Nigeria's a scam then enjoy your blord electricity tariffs

ibinaboonline:
I'm posting this here for lack of a proper category and for maximum exposure.

In Aba, and I can say this without hesitation — Aba Power is robbing us in broad daylight. Forget all the talk about 24-hour electricity. It’s a lie. What we get here is anything but constant power. We might have light for a few hours a day, sometimes less, and yet we’re being slammed with electricity bills that are simply outrageous.

.

This was exactly the same thing Ikeja electric did to us, I can tell you presently we are still clearing over 1 million naira accumulated bill as tenants for bills we did not really use, this is their plan, they over inflate it to run for maybe 2 or 3 years the bills will pile up then if the government comes after outrageous billing they then relax it to the normal rate and keep disturbing you to clear off all the debts...

Imagine as at 2021 before tariff hike, they were billing us up 66k per flat, then imagine in 2025 after tariff hike we have never paid above 20k for more than a year, in fact our last bill was about 17k, but they are still disturbing us for those bills that were accumulated those periods of outrageous billings, threatening to cut our light from time to time.

See you guys have to act fast, if we knew early enough we would have suspended all the other accounts and kept only one early enough, everybody pitches to that one and be paying it...

yes, they will come and want to investigate and throw penalties and all that, but I can tell you in the long run it is way cheaper than accumulating 88k on those accounts every month, because in just 10 months those accounts may have accumulated over 800k each,

that was what happened to us, even if you trying to pay on each, as long as you are not clearing the entire 88k at once, the bills will be accumulating very fast, it is better to stop that accumulation as quick as possible then be fighting them using one account that all of you will be sharing, it is cheaper in the long run both for landlord and tenant...

I know what we are paying right now because of not suspending those accounts early/...

We are paying for darkness. Paying for electricity we don’t get... But ipob said Aba is now enjoying 24hrs power supply and Otti is the best thing after slice bread.

malali:
Lets see how much genuine interest this thread gets ....Lets see which politician from the Southeast will call out thi daylight robbery of their own people.

Watch and seem not a single comment will be heard.

I never knew politicians come to nairaland to make comments.


What the op described is a general problem, not peculiar to southeast.

Putindbutt:
We are paying for darkness. Paying for electricity we don’t get... when ipob said Aba is now enjoying 24hrs power supply and Otti is the best thing after slice bread.

But bokoharam said Tinubu is providing steady power to 180 million Nigerians with meagre 5,000 megawatts.

jmoore:
I never knew politicians come to nairaland to make comments.


What the op described is a general problem, not peculiar to southeast.

You missed my point.
Which is internal critics are hardly seen from South East politicians. I have watched and noticed this for awhile.
You can google Lagos state deputy governor criticizing NEPA bills to his house as been outrageous.

But when it comes to divisive issues like Nnamdi Kanu, they all carry their megaphones.

If everyone boycott their services for 6 months, their head will reset. Its lack of unity that makes them behave so.

malali:
You missed my point.
Which is internal critics are hardly seen from South East politicians. I have watched and noticed this for awhile.
You can google Lagos state deputy governor criticizing NEPA bills to his house as been outrageous.

But when it comes to divisive issues like Nnamdi Kanu, they all carry their megaphones.

Like Nnamdi Kanu? Your government that have released thousands of bokoharam fighters is not divisive.

You can't even hide your ulterior motive.

All propagates have expiry dates.

Is this not the over hyped Abia power scheme that they said was enjoying uninterrupted power?

One thing I know about these people other than their ability to lie shamelessly is how near impossible it is for them to build a trust based society.

ibinaboonline:
I'm posting this here for lack of a proper category and for maximum exposure.

In Aba, and I can say this without hesitation — Aba Power is robbing us in broad daylight. Forget all the talk about 24-hour electricity. It’s a lie. What we get here is anything but constant power. We might have light for a few hours a day, sometimes less, and yet we’re being slammed with electricity bills that are simply outrageous.

Despite Aba Power’s claims, many of us still don’t have prepaid meters. My street, for example, remains unmetered. That means we’re still under their infamous “estimated billing” system, where they guess how much you’ve used and send a bill that makes no sense. They keep saying prepaid meters will be free, but until then, they drown people in fake arrears. And when they finally install the meter, those arrears are simply transferred onto it — making us pay for power we never used.

Let me give you a personal example.
By December 2024, the estimated bill for each apartment in my building was around ₦7,000 to ₦8,000. Then, by January 2025, it suddenly jumped to ₦28,000. In August, Aba Power brought bills of ₦48,000 each (three separate bills for my house). Then in September, they sent ₦88,000 per bill, multiplied by three.

Mind you, my house is a one-story building with six flats, and the tenants pay around ₦20,000–₦25,000 per month for rent. Aba Power now expects each tenant to pay nearly ₦40,000 every month for power that is rarely even available. How does that make sense?

Recently, Aba Power staff came to my house to disconnect us. When I protested, the supervisor said I was lucky to have just three bills. She threatened that she could easily issue one ₦88,000 bill to every single tenant. Imagine that level of arrogance!

What’s happening in Aba is nothing short of economic oppression. They inflate bills, pile up arrears, and force people into paying debts they don’t owe. It’s a clear strategy — raise the arrears so high that by the time prepaid meters arrive, people will spend years paying off fake debts.

We are paying for darkness. Paying for electricity we don’t get. And when we speak out, we’re threatened with disconnection. This isn’t just poor service — it’s daylight robbery.

Aba Power loves to appear in the news talking about transparency, free meters, and 24-hour supply. But on the ground, in places like Ogborhill, the story is completely different. People are suffering, and nobody seems to care.

All we want is fairness. We want meters in every home, honest billing, and power that actually works. Until then, Aba Power shouldn’t pretend to be a success story — not while they’re bleeding Aba residents dry in the name of electricity.

This is our story
Our family house in Aba paid electricity bills under the community until this month when Aba power came to install prepaid meter.
Everyone discovered the indigenes of the community weren't paying bills but collected bills every month.
Accumulated bills to pay so they deduct it from whatever you load till it's cleared.

Coordinate with the people living in your neighborhood and request for prepaid meters. It'll save you costs though you won't be running every appliances you have.
Light in our area is constant but not 24 hours. Meter is free but you pay some fees.

Nigerian establishments running monopoly ventures act like demigods

jmoore:
But bokoharam said Tinubu is providing steady power to 180 million Nigerians with meagre 5,000 megawatts.

Dude stay on topic

Your people in Umuahia once bragged about 24/7 light. When we get to insecurity thread, we'll talk about Boko Haram

nedu666:
If everyone boycott their services for 6 months, their head will reset. Its lack of unity that makes them behave so.

Wetin Dem go use when Dem boycott am? Lantern or candle?

EvilMerodack:
Dude stay on topic

Your people in Umuahia once bragged about 24/7 light. When we get to insecurity thread, we'll talk about Boko Haram

Hypocrisy! Ask your brother that brought IPOB into the topic.

Babablu bulabu.

gammarays:
Meter is free but you pay some fees.

What are the fees? I'm preparing to get my own

Oga, you guys are on ESTIMATED billing aka postpaid.
After una don use fridge and freezers, on fan leave am comot live light on for 100 years, you want make them charge you 1 kobo abi?
We have switched from postpaid to prepaid and guess what...
Those who cleared their bills and are efficient energy users can use 4k for like 2 weeks to 1 month (family)
I know because I dey do am.
I stayed in ABA for good two months
Aba Power is the best In Nigeria.
Simply apply for prepaid and enjoy steady light.
My friend's street had power issues till they applied and got prepaid now they enjoy light like the rest of us 24/7.
I moved to anambra now and e dey vex me sat light no dey like I dey enjoy for aba.
I dey plan run go aba again make I finish up my projects there then buy solar for my anambra house.
Enugu too dey enjoy light.

EvilMerodack:
Dude stay on topic

Your people in Umuahia once bragged about 24/7 light. When we get to insecurity thread, we'll talk about Boko Haram

It's not bragging.
It's factual
Umuahia get steady power same as aba

delugadou:
What are the fees? I'm preparing to get my own

Connection fees around 5k+. It may be higher or lower

gammarays:
This is our story
Our family house in Aba paid electricity bills under the community until this month when Aba power came to install prepaid meter.
Everyone discovered the indigenes of the community weren't paying bills but collected bills every month.
Accumulated bills to pay so they deduct it from whatever you load till it's cleared.

Coordinate with the people living in your neighborhood and request for prepaid meters. It'll save you costs though you won't be running every appliances you have.
Light in our area is constant but not 24 hours. Meter is free but you pay some fees.

Nigerian establishments running monopoly ventures act like demigods

oga go and get solar power if you do not have a prepaid meter...! very simple!

Steady electricity attract bills if you don't like it call the company to disconnect you some businesses are enjoying the development.

Lies can only travel thus far.
First lie,some years ago when power was barely had in nigeria with nationwide constant power outages,many Nigerians were saying that if people can have 24hr power supply,they won't mind the cost,they would pay.
I laughed back then because I saw it as the height of f oolishness to think people can afford to pay for 24 electricity at any cost,even when the economy was ok and people living ok during time of GEJ.
2,Nigeria presently doesn't have the capacity and power infrastructure to guarantee a regular, uninterrupted power supply,even by private Nigerian companies.
It's only foreign enterprises like happened in telecoms that would build generating and transmission facilities,that can.
Second lie,when Aba electric came on board initially,many Aba residents were giving false info of having 24hour supply.
Now that lie has been exposed

But obi and his people tried to deceived us many times times Alex otti is the first governor that gave his people 24/7 electricity in the history of Nigeria ,so it’s one of their numerous scams and packaging??

What do you expect when a government of propaganda is in power? Aba people are becoming wiser

I dey tell you. I wrote a proper article on this subject hoping to publish it on Opera News, but they kept rejecting it, saying it has junk sentences. So you see any junk sentences in this post? Dey tire me.

malali:
Lets see how much genuine interest this thread gets ....Lets see which politician from the Southeast will call out thi daylight robbery of their own people.

Watch and seem not a single comment will be heard.

The truth is coming out, obidients said Aba is enjoying 247 light. Abeg enjoy and stop dragging us into it

First of all, I want to thank you for making this contribution. Very insightful. The problem is we can never suspend any of these accounts. Never; they won't allow it. Like many years ago since first they doubled the bill, we wrote letters to the office in charge back then and begged them to withdraw the extra bill. They ignored those letters. Instead, we got a third bill about a year later, making it three bills to one compound.

Brendaniel:
This was exactly the same thing Ikeja electric did to us, I can tell you presently we are still clearing over 1 million naira accumulated bill as tenants for bills we did not really use, this is their plan, they over inflate it to run for maybe 2 or 3 years the bills will pile up then if the government comes after outrageous billing they then relax it to the normal rate and keep disturbing you to clear off all the debts...

Imagine as at 2021 before tariff hike, they were billing us up 66k per flat, then imagine in 2025 after tariff hike we have never paid above 20k for more than a year, in fact our last bill was about 17k, but they are still disturbing us for those bills that were accumulated those periods of outrageous billings, threatening to cut our light from time to time.

See you guys have to act fast, if we knew early enough we would have suspended all the other accounts and kept only one early enough, everybody pitches to that one and be paying it...

yes, they will come and want to investigate and throw penalties and all that, but I can tell you in the long run it is way cheaper than accumulating 88k on those accounts every month, because in just 10 months those accounts may have accumulated over 800k each,

that was what happened to us, even if you trying to pay on each, as long as you are not clearing the entire 88k at once, the bills will be accumulating very fast, it is better to stop that accumulation as quick as possible then be fighting them using one account that all of you will be sharing, it is cheaper in the long run both for landlord and tenant...

I know what we are paying right now because of not suspending those accounts early/...

Admittedly, light have improved significantly from what it used to be like before. But it's nowhere near 24hrs.

Putindbutt:
We are paying for darkness. Paying for electricity we don’t get... But ipob said Aba is now enjoying 24hrs power supply and Otti is the best thing after slice bread.

And it has to stop. Enough already.

jmoore:
I never knew politicians come to nairaland to make comments.


What the op described is a general problem, not peculiar to southeast.

Unfortunately, this is the most effective pushback,as well as the hardest.

nedu666:
If everyone boycott their services for 6 months, their head will reset. Its lack of unity that makes them behave so.

ibinaboonline:
First of all, I want to thank you for making this contribution. Very insightful. The problem is we can never suspend any of these accounts. Never; they won't allow it. Like many years ago since first they doubled the bill, we wrote letters to the office in charge back then and begged them to withdraw the extra bill. They ignored those letters. Instead, we got a third bill about a year later, making it three bills to one compound.

You people might need to get a lawyer then...