Kogi State Electricity Regulator Launches Customer Service Week to Address Consumers' Complaints

The Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission, KERC, has commenced a three - day special interactive exercise to feel the pulse of electricity consumers and resolve their complaints promptly.

The exercise is part of activities marking the 2026 Customer Service Week of the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission, held at its headquarters in Lokoja.

Speaking in an interview, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KERC, Engr. Ibrahim Sunday Abduwaaris, said the initiative was designed to give consumers a sense of belonging and to demonstrate the impact of the Commission since its establishment over a year ago.

"In this industry, the electricity industry, customers are king. They are king because without customers, there is no business. So we feel there should be a designated time to feel the pulse of our customers," Engr. Abduwaaris said.

He disclosed that the Commission has set aside three days to receive complaints directly from consumers, hear them and resolve them as soon as possible.

"Today is a special day for us and for the customers. As a regulator that has existed for over a year now in the state, we want to be sure that our customers feel the impact and the essence of our existence in the state. We want to ensure that every complaint is justified and treated according to its merits," he stated.

On the future outlook of the Commission, the Chairman said the future is bright, assuring that KERC is ready to go the extra mile in line with the theme of this year's Customer Service Week.

"The future is bright, the future is great. We are going to go extra mile to resolve complaints of our customers, and we are ready to do the needful to ensure that Kogi Electricity Distribution Limited is operating within expectations and within the regulatory ambits of the Commission," he said.

Explaining the complaint resolution mechanism, Engr. Abduwaaris noted that every complaint is treated on its merit.

 He advised customers to first report their complaints to the service provider, KEDL, and if not satisfactorily resolved within the number of days provided by law, they should escalate to the Commission.

On efforts to extend electricity access to unserved and underserved communities, particularly in Kogi East, the KERC boss revealed that the Commission has registered mini-grid developers who are already operating in the state.

"We have made it a mandatory process to come up with regulations that allow for mini-grid operations. We have registered some mini-grid developers who are already working in the state, especially in the eastern senatorial district. From the record so far, we have been able to generate valuable electricity within Kogi East and customers around those areas are happy with the service," he said.

He added that a team recently dispatched by the Commission to assess the performance of the mini-grids returned with positive feedback from consumers in the covered areas.

 Speaking, Mr. Emmanuel Oricha Ajibogu of the Kogi Electricity Distribution Limited, KEDL, said the Customer Service Week is themed 'Going the Extra Mile'.

 According to him, going the extra mile is not just about going an extra distance, but taking extra time, extra initiative and thinking out of the box to give customers  wonderful experience. 

He said the essence of the week is to go beyond the ordinary to satisfy and resolve customers' complaints.

Speaking on issues resolved so far, Mr. Ajibogu disclosed that a customer had come to complain of vending at a higher rate than his band. He explained that upon checking from the backend, it was discovered that the customer who is on Band D was mistakenly placed on Band A for about three days, and unfortunately vended within that period. 

He said the discrepancy has been noted and the company will refund the difference in energy token, adding that the customer was elated at the speed and professionalism with which his complaint was handled.

Speaking on the coverage of the exercise, Mr. Ajibogu noted that the Customer Service Week is happening globally and in all area offices within KEDL's coverage area.

 He clarified that although the team was attending to customers at the premises of the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission, KERC, it was because KERC's customers are also KEDL's customers, hence the decision to go the extra mile to meet them there. He assured that all KEDL offices are open throughout the week with a customer service desk to attend to all complaints, and that the experience from the week is expected to transcend beyond the celebration.

Mr. Ajibogu said there has been a tremendous improvement in power supply availability in Lokoja in 2026 compared to previous quarters. He revealed that the company is upgrading about two feeders from Band C to Band A, and that by the end of the last quarter of 2026, most parts of Lokoja metropolis will be on Band A, which guarantees a minimum of 20 hours of supply, a development he described as remarkable and unprecedented in a long while.

Usman Ibrahim, a customer from Lokoja who had come to lay his complaint expressed satisfaction after his complaint was promptly resolved by the Kogi Electricity Distribution Limited.

Another Customer and Journalist Mana Balagbogbo whose complaint was heard and addressed commended the initiative, noting that it is an annual calendar event marked by companies worldwide.

 He urged the organizers to take cognizance of the key concerns of customers, take them personal and ensure that issues are actually resolved, while also calling for more efforts to extend power supply to the grassroots, especially in the eastern region of Kogi State where many communities remain underserved despite government interventions. 

He further alleged a form of politicization in the allocation of Band A to customers who have the capacity to pay, stressing that resolving such issues would greatly improve service delivery.

Mr. Balagbogbo described the reception at the event as very welcoming and well organized, with professionals attending to customers, expressing hope that the professionalism displayed would translate into actual resolution of complaints.

 He also raised concerns over metering, particularly the plight of consumers without prepaid meters who pay more than necessary, citing the case of his mother who has paid for a prepaid meter which is said to be free by the Federal Government, with a backlog of over N200,000, yet the meter is yet to be released. 

He appealed to KERC to intervene and ensure that such issues are resolved.

Hassan Abubakar- Editor.