Many electricity consumers across Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, and Plateau states under the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) franchise have complained of being shortchanged and allegedly assigned unexplained debts on their prepaid meters.
Some customers who spoke with DAILY POST said the issue began about five days ago. They noted that JEDCO temporarily disappeared from the list of distribution companies on some mobile vending applications, with a notice indicating that the “provider is not available.”
Several affected customers took to the company’s official Facebook page to lodge complaints, alleging that the management had yet to respond to their concerns.
A Bauchi resident, Abubakar Usman, who is on a Band A feeder, said he received fewer units than expected after recharging. “Two days ago, I recharged my prepaid meter with N5,000. I was supposed to get 22.5 units of electricity, but JEDCO gave me only 4.5 units,” he said.
Another customer in Bauchi, Aisha Umar, said her meter, which had no previous debt for about seven years, suddenly displayed an outstanding balance. “My meter suddenly showed an outstanding debt of N15,000. We have never used estimated billing since we moved into this house. Where did the debt come from?” she asked.
On the company’s Facebook page, Lucy Jiksim wrote: “Jos Disco, can you please explain the outstanding debt showing on my meter?”
Another user also complained: “I wanted to buy N5,000 electricity, but I saw N4,000 outstanding. I eventually got only N1,000 worth of units.”
Responding, the company’s Head of Customer Service, Saratu Aliyu, said the system had no glitches and that the vending portal was functioning as expected.
She advised customers with genuine complaints to report to the nearest JEDCO office within the franchise states.
According to her, customers seeing debts on their meters are those with outstanding balances. “We have introduced a debt recovery strategy. Customers owing below N1 million will have their debts spread, and they will be charged N2,000 monthly,” she said.
Aliyu added that customers should visit desk officers to verify their profiles and resolve any debt-related issues, maintaining that JEDCO remains available for vending on all mobile and financial applications.
Supporters of Senator I. D. Gyang have called for a review of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election results in Plateau North, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the exercise.
In a statement issued by the Director General of the I. D. Gyang Campaign Council, Comrade Lot Adas, the group expressed concern over what it described as a lack of transparency in the primary process.
The statement claimed that the outcome of the exercise did not reflect the wishes of party members, insisting that credible internal democracy must be upheld to preserve trust within the APC.
According to the group, party strength is rooted in grassroots participation, warning that any process that sidelines members’ votes could weaken unity and confidence in the party structure.
It further alleged that the Plateau North senatorial primary was not conducted in a manner consistent with due process, describing the results as unacceptable to many stakeholders within the constituency.
The supporters urged the APC leadership to ensure fairness and justice by reviewing the conduct and outcome of the primaries in line with party guidelines and democratic principles.
They also referenced ongoing considerations by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), expressing hope that the leadership would take corrective action after reviewing reports from relevant committees.
While calling for a review, the group appealed to party members and supporters to remain calm and peaceful, stressing that their demand is rooted in fairness, equity, and respect for internal democracy.
The statement reaffirmed commitment to the unity and progress of the APC in Plateau North, while insisting that only a credible and transparent process can strengthen the party ahead of future elections.
Signed:
Comrade Lot Adas
Director General, I. D. Gyang Campaign Council
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—When Dr. Aminu Maida took the helm at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in October 2023, he stepped into a challenging landscape marked by soaring operational costs and stubborn infrastructure gaps.
Yet, over the past few years, the commission has successfully turned these hurdles into stepping stones, steering Nigeria’s telecommunications sector toward a new era of steady growth and digital inclusion.
At the heart of the NCC’s recent success is a massive push to bring reliable phone and internet access to everyday Nigerians, especially those in rural and underserved communities.
By 2025, these deliberate efforts pushed the country’s internet broadband penetration rate to an impressive 48.81 percent, while teledensity—the percentage of the population with telephone connections—reached 79.65 percent.
Industry experts note that this rapid expansion didn’t happen by accident; it is the direct result of the regulatory stability and clear, reliable policy direction the NCC has established.Beyond simply expanding networks, the commission has taken aggressive steps to protect them.
In a major victory for the industry, the NCC actively championed a Presidential Executive Order that officially designates telecom facilities as Critical National Infrastructure.
This critical legal shield gives the government the teeth to fight back against the theft, vandalism, and sabotage that have long plagued network operators, disrupted daily services, and driven up business expenses.
Financially, the NCC has proven to be a vital engine for the nation’s economy. In the 2024 fiscal year alone, the commission generated roughly N195.8 billion through spectrum fees, operating licenses, and other regulatory revenues.
Proving its commitment to national development, the NCC sent more than N111 billion of those earnings straight into the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Looking toward the future, the NCC is also reshaping how technology businesses operate in Nigeria. The commission has introduced discussions for a fresh General Authorisation Framework alongside updated licensing systems. This modern approach is designed to cut through red tape for tech startups, welcome innovative business models, and make it much easier to deploy next-generation digital tools.
Ultimately, the NCC has managed a delicate balancing act. Even while navigating tough economic pressures like inflation and rising business expenses, the commission has successfully maintained investor confidence through open, transparent communication with network operators.
At the same time, it has kept its focus squarely on everyday citizens by strictly monitoring service quality and creating tools that help ordinary phone subscribers check network performance, ensuring that Nigeria’s digital future remains both strong and consumer-friendly.