The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) says that meters installation now depends on customers payment.

Meters would be installed for any customers as soon as they make payment for them, Mr Oyebode Fadipe, AEDC’s General Manager, Corporate Communications said.

In an interview in Abuja on Sunday, he said that it is only customers who paid that get meters.

“So installation of meters is not Disco-driven but customer-driven. We have meters, so it is for customers to pay and we go install it for them.

“We are working at customers pace as it is after verification that we give permit for payment,‘’ he said.

Fadipe said that 30,204 customers have so far applied for meters and that AEDC had verified 28,136 of the applications.

He said that out of the 28,136 verified only 9,467 have paid and that AEDC had so far installed 7,984 meters from the lot.

He said the reason for the 1,483 difference was because the process was ongoing, adding that AEDC had recorded over 80 per cent performance in terms of those who have paid.

“The difference is also inclusive of some people who had given us wrong data and which is making it a little bit difficult for us to get back to them.

“There are those who did not put their telephone numbers or information on how to get back to them, so there is that challenge.

“But one thing we have done is to further escalate our public enlightenment so that customers who have paid can get back to us if they are not metered,” he said.

Fadipe explained that it usually took 10 days for customers who have paid to be metered except those with inadequate information.

He said AEDC had gone the extra mile to get such customers information by asking them to go to the Area offices nearest to them or AEDC office at Yauonde Street, Wuse Zone 6.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had approved the Meter Asset Provider Scheme to ensure that electricity customers only pay for what they actually consume.