The Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) has reassured residents of Gombe State of improved electricity services, pledging faster repairs of faulty transformers, a crackdown on vandalism, and the deployment of prepaid meters beginning in September 2025.
The commitment was made during a Customer Consultative Forum held in Gombe on Saturday, where the company engaged directly with consumers to address concerns over power supply, billing, and infrastructure challenges.
Speaking at the event, JEDC’s State Operating Officer, Rilwan Shehu, said the meeting underscored the company’s dedication to strengthening communication with customers.
“We are here because we feel our customers are important.
This forum is an avenue where we meet our customers face to face to listen to their complaints and see how fast we can identify those challenges and resolve them,” Shehu explained.
He emphasized that while JEDC bore the responsibility of repairing transformers and ensuring consistent power distribution, customers also had an obligation to pay their electricity bills promptly.
“The issue of repairing transformers is solidly on the shoulders of our company.
But customers must remember their responsibility is to pay their bills as soon as due.
Once they pay, we’ll be encouraged to do whatever repairs they expect in a timely manner,” he noted.
One of the key announcements was JEDC’s plan to roll out prepaid meters for Band A customers—those who enjoy up to 24 hours of power supply daily—before expanding to other categories.
According to Shehu, JEDC will be the first distribution company in Nigeria to prioritize Band A customers in the metering process.
“By September, we’ll begin metering customers, starting with Band A.
That doesn’t mean we won’t meter others, but we’re starting there,” he said.
JEDC’s Meter Asset Provider Desk Officer, Anas Sadiq, confirmed that installations had already begun in Plateau State and that Gombe residents would benefit in the next rollout phase.
“By the end of next month, we will deploy meters to Gombe.
We want to close the metering gaps in Band A before proceeding to other bands,” Sadiq added.
The prepaid meter program is expected to reduce estimated billing, a frequent source of disputes between customers and electricity providers.
Shehu also identified vandalism as a major obstacle to reliable electricity supply in the state.
He revealed that JEDC had recorded frequent cases of stolen cables and damaged transformers, especially during the rainy season.
“You wake up during the rainy season and realise cables of transformers have been cut away. We have bad eggs everywhere,” he lamented.
He disclosed that 11 suspects had been arrested in collaboration with security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the police.
The official urged Gombe communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around electricity installations.
In his remarks, Shehu applauded Gombe residents for improved bill payment compliance, stating that it had already translated into better service delivery.
“You will agree with me that there are some levels of improvement in Gombe.
That is as a result of bill payment. As they improve their payments, the sky will be our starting point,” he said.
He stressed that electricity distribution was a partnership between the company and its customers, adding that JEDC’s success depended on consumer cooperation.
“Without the customers, we cannot remain in business. And without us, they need us for service delivery.
It’s a partnership, and we are determined to make it work,” Shehu added.
While the company pledged reforms, some residents used the forum to raise individual complaints.
One participant, Dr. Okezie Ejeagba, lamented that his faulty prepaid meter had not been fixed for over two years.
“I’m not satisfied until I see my units. Because I’ve been here before, I’ve been at this level before, where they told me it was going to be solved. It was never solved. So I’m not satisfied until I get my units back,” he said.
Such complaints reflect ongoing challenges in service delivery, even as JEDC intensifies efforts to expand infrastructure and improve accountability.
The assurance from JEDC comes at a time when Nigerians are increasingly demanding stable and affordable electricity, seen as critical to powering homes, small businesses, and industries.
Analysts note that closing the metering gap, tackling vandalism, and fostering stronger cooperation with customers could significantly reduce disputes and enhance public trust in distribution companies.
For residents of Gombe, the coming months will be crucial in testing whether JEDC can match its promises with action.
The September rollout of prepaid meters, coupled with quicker response times for repairs, may mark the beginning of a more reliable and transparent electricity service in the state.