…Reimbursing customers through token purchases

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has strengthened its customer engagement through active collaboration, all in a bid to combat energy theft and improve electricity service delivery.

The Company reaffirmed its commitments to quality service delivery during the Company’s Quarterly Customer Consultative Forum held in Jos, Plateau State.

Representing the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Mammanlafia Umar, the Chief Technical Officer of JED Plc, Engr. Hamisu Jigawa, emphasized the importance of a cooperative relationship between the Company and its consumers, saying such is critical to achieving sustainable energy solutions across its franchise States.

“This forum serves as a key opportunity to foster open communication. It enables us to listen to our customers’ feedback, share updates on our service improvement strategies, and collectively work towards resolving ongoing issues. We also seek the support of our customers in curbing energy theft, which remains a major threat to our operations,” he noted.

The forum featured presentations from key departments, each offering insights into their activities and ongoing initiatives.

Of particular note was the update from the Metering Department, led by Engr. Nasir Mohammed, who shed light on the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) programme.

He clarified that customers who obtained meters under the 2018/2021 MAP regulations are being reimbursed through a structured monthly deduction tied to their energy token purchases.

A vital session on electrical safety was presented by Mr. Terso Suswan, a representative of the Company’s Safety Unit who spoke on the causes and prevention of electrical accidents, especially those linked to the violation of Right of Way protocols.

He also stressed the importance of prompt emergency responses and provided customers with the Company’s emergency contact channels to be used during incidents involving electrical infrastructure.

Addressing the issue of energy theft, Mr. Mujitaba Umar, Acting Head of the Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), underscored the severe impact of meter tampering and vandalism.

He revealed how such activities compromise the company’s service capacity and revenue. To tackle this, he encouraged customers to take advantage of JED Plc’s Whistle-Blowing Policy.

The policy enables individuals to anonymously report illegal connections and other forms of theft, with the added incentive of financial rewards for verified reports.

A significant development unveiled during the forum was the Debt Validation and Discount Promo, introduced by Mrs. Saratu Dauda, Acting Head of Corporate Communications. She described it as a customer-friendly initiative designed to ease the burden of longstanding electricity debts.

“Customers who undergo debt validation and choose to pay in instalments will receive a 25% discount, while those who opt to clear their full outstanding amount in a lump sum are eligible for a 30% discount,” she explained.

Mrs. Dauda also urged landlords to monitor their tenants’ bill payments, warning that electricity accounts are linked to property addresses, not individuals.

Furthermore, she announced a major step in the Company’s digital transformation drive, the launch of the WhatsApp Bill Distribution System.

This new system allows customers to receive their monthly electricity bills in a graphically enhanced format directly via WhatsApp. To access this service, customers are required to submit their updated contact details through a dedicated link on the Company’s website.

The event concluded with an interactive session during which customers expressed satisfaction with the consultative platform and called for its continuation and expansion.

Many attendees praised the Company’s efforts at transparency and innovation, noting that initiatives like the forum play a key role in building trust and improving service delivery.