₦airaland Forum

The Jos Electricity Distribution Company has raised the alarm over increasing resistance to the installation of prepaid meters by churches, mosques and grinding machine operators in Gombe State, saying the development is contributing to massive revenue losses across its network.

Speaking on Sunday with Arewa PUNCH, the Head of Corporate Services of JEDC, Musa Abdullahi, described the opposition, largely driven by social media campaigns as surprising and counterproductive.

“There is an issue trending on social media concerning the metering of churches, mosques, and grinding machine operators. Some of them are opposed to the metering of their business centres,” Abdullahi said.

He expressed disappointment that religious institutions, which preach honesty and moral discipline, would resist a system designed to ensure transparent billing.


“The two religions preach against stealing and encourage worshipping God with one’s resources.

It is therefore surprising that worship centres are resisting a device that accurately measures their actual electricity consumption,” he noted.

Abdullahi explained that JEDC operates strictly as a utility provider and does not discriminate among customers, stressing,


“We are a utility company that sells electricity to consumers. Electricity does not recognise worship centres or markets. Everyone is treated as a consumer,” he said.

According to him, churches and mosques are categorised as high-demand customers due to the heavy electrical load required during worship activities.

“Worship centres consume significant power because of their load. It is only fair that our Imams and Pastors encourage the installation of prepaid meters so that actual consumption can be properly determined,” he added.

Abdullahi further revealed that the company is grappling with a huge gap between energy supplied and revenue collected, running into hundreds of millions of naira monthly.

“In August, we received 19.58 million kilowatt-hours of energy, which translated to N1.57 billion at 70 per cent billing efficiency after removing 30 per cent. However, we collected only N744 million, losing over N800 million,” he disclosed.

The JEDC Head of Corporate Services added that the trend continued in September and worsened in October.

“In September, we received 20.22 million kilowatt-hours, valued at N1.67 billion, but collected just N757 million, again, losing about N800 million. In October, we received 25.26 million kilowatt-hours worth N1.86 billion, yet collections dropped to N694 million. This decline is indefensible,” Abdullahi stated.


He stressed that prepaid metering remains the most reliable tool for transparency, accountability, and sustainability in electricity supply, thus urging all consumers – religious and commercial alike to support the initiative.

Source: https://punchng.com/gombe-mosques-churches-resist-prepaid-billing-jos-discos

See the people that tinubu want to tax

Lol.

You see why our power companies cannot raise money? When church and mosque are resisting being metered ?

People should realize that we don't have power because we don't want to pay to get good enough power. The churches and mosques and grinding centers are even setting a bad example for everyone to follow

I mean if your church and mosque is stealing power , how are they gonna teach that stealing is bad? If you can't condemm small sin...

Nigeria has a massive power theft problem. And a lot of people who think they are entitled to free electric power. That's why our discos and gencos cannot raise the money they need to improve power supply. It even affects the transmission company of Nigeria because it is dependent on funds raised from discos and gencos.

If they don't want pre paid meters why not bill them what would forced them to request for pre paid themselves?
Make sure for every estimated bill you serve them, they must pay 75% of it or get disconnected.
Na madness dey cure madness.

They don't want anything to tamper with their tithe 😂

Go to those Alfa and Pastors house and see them even bypassing there prepaid meter at home....



You be like what're this people preaching then....

Lanretoye:
See the people that tinubu want to tax

At the end of the day it's southerners that will still bear the brunt of the tax because those people up north are only interested in reaping where they did not sow.

According to him, churches and mosques are categorised as high-demand customers due to the heavy electrical load required during worship activities.

“Worship centres consume significant power because of their load. It is only fair that our Imams and Pastors encourage the installation of prepaid meters so that actual consumption can be properly determined,” he added.

I don't know about Churches. But the statement above by the Jos disco spokesperson is a big lie concerning the mosque. Is a mosque a factory? How is a mosque a high demanding customer. 😆

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/gombe-mosques-churches-resist-prepaid-billing-jos-discos

We know it's churches that will be the most on the list.

The useless media house even put mosque before church because it's negative news.

Can our media houses not be fair for once? Tell them to publish the names of culprits if they're being honest.

Whether you like it or not religious fanatics will support their place of worship in resisting prepaid billing.
Infact for complaining they will call you a persecutor, infidel and all kinds of names

His Disco will have to do some orientation and education. The pre-pais meters just have to be installed.

nairalanda1:
Lol.

You see why our power companies cannot raise money? When church and mosque are resisting being metered ?

People should realize that we don't have power because we don't want to pay to get good enough power. The churches and mosques and grinding centers are even setting a bad example for everyone to follow

I mean if your church and mosque is stealing power , how are they gonna teach that stealing is bad? If you can't condemm small sin...

Nigeria has a massive power theft problem. And a lot of people who think they are entitled to free electric power. That's why our discos and gencos cannot raise the money they need to improve power supply. It even affects the transmission company of Nigeria because it is dependent on funds raised from discos and gencos.

what about the ones that they collect for overestimated billing?

Iamsane:
According to him, churches and mosques are categorised as high-demand customers due to the heavy electrical load required during worship activities.

“Worship centres consume significant power because of their load. It is only fair that our Imams and Pastors encourage the installation of prepaid meters so that actual consumption can be properly determined,” he added.

I don't know about Churches. But the statement above by the Jos disco spokesperson is a big lie concerning the mosque. Is a mosque a factory? How is a mosque a high demanding customer. 😆

I knew it. Churches are the ones the article was referring to. They only used mosques to cover face.

Mosques do not use heavy equipment. The only equipments a mosque has is the Ahuja, ceiling fans and pumping machine. And those are not even up. to many domenstic consumptions.

But you see churches! They have AC and sophisticated sound systems lightening etc. They are the once running from. prepaid meters.

So Punch Editorial should stop saying half-truths. They should be honest with their journalism.

TOPCRUISE:
Whether you like it or not religious fanatics will support their place of worship on this.
Infact for complaining they will call you a persecutor, infidel and all kinds of names

Muslims do not support one another on injustice. We know it's cross people that do "touch not my annointed".

It's misleading to claim that worship centres are high demand units. I'm pretty sure most mosques consume less power compared to residential homes. Out of 24 hours, power is used for less than 5 hours. Also, most have migrated to hybrid solar power. Thus, sometimes they don't even get to use NEPA for the whole due to its epileptic nature. The disco should dive deeper and evaluate where the revenue bleeding is coming from.

The way we do things in Nigeria is surprising, why are you complaining, just disconnect them from the grid and let them run on generator.

inoki247:
Go to those Alfa and Pastors house and see them even bypassing there prepaid meter at home....



You be like what're this people preaching then....

Because the government is not sincere ,
We voted them for two main purpose, welfare and security, but have they taken care of any one?

Ahmed0336:
If they don't want pre paid meters why not bill them what would forced them to request for pre paid themselves?
Make sure for every estimated bill you serve them, they must pay 75% of it or get disconnected.
Na madness dey cure madness.

Majority of Mosques even in the South don't pay electricity bills, government need to take a decisive action against these religions houses.

Those bill guys can't counter them, I have seen where they chase them out on the street before. Infact they don't even bother themselves to go their side again.

Rayjnr:
Because the government is not sincere ,
We voted them for two main purpose, welfare and security, but have they taken care of any one?

So the people that should also teach us about sincerity and Morality should act like an illegal...



You people keep blaming Govt for everything so if someone can't get his wife pregnant we should blame the Govt also.....


Well the Church I goto na Prepaid we dey use and is even more preferable than estimated billing.....

datola:
At the end of the day it's southerners that will still bear the brunt of the tax because those people up north are only interested in reaping where they did not sow.

You don't understand what you just said , sale off grocery is higher in the north than other regions,. Ask nestle, Unilever, pz , we are talking about consumption tax and the likes, get your fact before tribalizin issues

inoki247:
So the people that should also teach us about sincerity and Morality should act like an illegal...



You people keep blaming Govt for everything so if someone can't get his wife pregnant we should blame the Govt also.....


Well the Church I goto na Prepaid we dey use and is even more preferable than estimated billing.....

I agree with you but ur second paragraph is the reason govt keep stealing, please your welfare and security is why tinubu and co. are there, why are people running to US,UK, and co.? they have social security, African governments are running away from that so they can steal

I don't understand these companies. Who set the rules regarding the use of electricity? Why is it ev n up for discussion and lamentations? Why not follow how companies operate abroad? The consumer either follow the rules or be cut off. He needs to first decide if he's running a business ...or a charity.

I don't blame the religious centers.

Electricity is expensive and they'll be on commercial reading.

I can remember military era when NEPA will come for disconnection with a ARMY soldier .

Incognito403:
I knew it. Churches are the ones the article was referring to. They only used mosques to cover face.

Mosques do not use heavy equipment. The only equipments a mosque has is the Ahuja, ceiling fans and pumping machine. And those are not even up. to many domenstic consumptions.

But you see churches! They have AC and sophisticated sound systems lightening etc. They are the once running from. prepaid meters.

So Punch Editorial should stop saying half-truths. They should be honest with their journalism.

This is Gombe bro, not Abuja, Lagos or any major city, few churches will have those heavy equipment you are referring to.
According to the report, it seems the disco want to place them on Band A, that's why there is disagreement, they should give them the metre and place them on the bands enjoyed by the respective community they belonged to.

nairalanda1:
Lol.

You see why our power companies cannot raise money? When church and mosque are resisting being metered ?

People should realize that we don't have power because we don't want to pay to get good enough power. The churches and mosques and grinding centers are even setting a bad example for everyone to follow

I mean if your church and mosque is stealing power , how are they gonna teach that stealing is bad? If you can't condemm small sin...

Nigeria has a massive power theft problem. And a lot of people who think they are entitled to free electric power. That's why our discos and gencos cannot raise the money they need to improve power supply. It even affects the transmission company of Nigeria because it is dependent on funds raised from discos and gencos.

Oga leave talk
Yes it's true a lot owe, what about those that don't owe, how many hrs of electricity do they get in a day, I don't owe kobo but u will still not see light for even 2days , is it not same technique they use that the consumers are using for them too?

The meter we installed three months ago has been one of the mistake of 2025, we normally pay 10k for a room selfcontain monthly and we were complaining. To cut the story short we now pay roughly 30k

Honour house of God! Tho is private sector!
Why una no start the prepaid from Kano State or Sokoto! These people seems to be bias

The day Nepa will give prepaid meter to every lagosian is the day their suffering starts,
No light no money, no egunje to collect or gra gra that u want to disconnect someone light

cooly419:
The meter we installed three months ago has been one of the mistake of 2025, we normally pay 10k for a room selfcontain monthly and we were complaining. To cut the story short we now pay roughly 30k

Get ur own prepaid meter
My dad uses 5k for 3months in his 5 bedroom flat in his house,
Someone is using hot plate to cook in that ur compound, it might not be only one person sef,
Do ur finding u will discover the truth,

Upon all the millions wey all this religious institutions dey generate, them no dey ever want pay tax

Iamsane:
According to him, churches and mosques are categorised as high-demand customers due to the heavy electrical load required during worship activities.

“Worship centres consume significant power because of their load. It is only fair that our Imams and Pastors encourage the installation of prepaid meters so that actual consumption can be properly determined,” he added.

I don't know about Churches. But the statement above by the Jos disco spokesperson is a big lie concerning the mosque. Is a mosque a factory? How is a mosque a high demanding customer. 😆

Do mosque use PA (public announce system)? If yes then the official is right