JED, NERC Host 3-Day Forum in Bauchi to Address Power Supply Challenges
By Amina Ahmed
The Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED), in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has commenced a three-day customer complaints resolution meeting in Bauchi to address concerns over poor electricity supply and related service issues.
Speaking at the opening session, the Acting Managing Director of JED, Alhaji Mamman Umar, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to resolving electricity-related challenges faced by its customers.
He disclosed that JED launched a mass metering initiative in 2022 to tackle the inefficiencies of the estimated billing system.
However, he noted that the high financial costs involved have slowed its implementation.
“Meters are expensive, and this makes the project capital-intensive,” Umar stated.
He added that despite the constraints, JED remains committed to providing fair service, in line with national electricity tariffs and the band system applicable across all distribution companies.
Umar also encouraged customers to report any misconduct by staff, stressing the company’s zero-tolerance policy for exploitation and abuse.
In his remarks, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim, JED’s operations officer in Bauchi, attributed recent outages and complaints to extreme weather conditions.
“Heavy rainfall has led to the collapse of electricity poles and power lines.
“Revealing that 30 poles had fallen across Bauchi, Ningi, and Dass Local Government Areas as of June 25, 2025. he said
He emphasized that restoring the damaged infrastructure requires expensive equipment such as cranes.
Representing the Bauchi Emirate Council, Alhaji Lawal Babama’aji called for greater involvement of community leaders in sensitizing the public and facilitating smoother complaint resolution.
He highlighted the impact of erratic power supply on small-scale businesses, urging regulatory bodies and providers to act promptly.
Babama’aji also advised consumers under the estimated billing system to pay their bills responsibly and adhere to regulations to support service improvement.
Complaints raised by customers during the meeting ranged from inherited debts in rented properties to technical issues like leakages and inconsistent billing.
