By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Residents of Gbagada and surrounding areas have raised concerns over what they describe as a consistent breach of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) by Ikeja Electric. Despite being billed at ₦209.5 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) under the Band A electricity tariff, many consumers say they are not receiving the promised minimum of 20 hours of power supply per day.
A local advocacy group, My Gbagada, recently amplified residents’ frustrations, stating that consumers have been placed under Band A billing based on their feeder allocation, leaving them with no alternative but to pay the high tariffs. However, they argue that Ikeja Electric frequently fails to meet the SLA, delivering significantly less power than agreed.
Critics point out that in many developed markets, service providers that fail to meet contractual obligations are held accountable through service credits, refunds, or contract renegotiations. In Nigeria, however, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has been accused of turning a blind eye to these breaches, leaving consumers to bear the cost of unreliable service without any recourse.
Amid growing frustration, there are increasing calls for a renegotiation of the Band A electricity agreement. Consumers are demanding that electricity providers face consequences for failing to meet their commitments, stressing that continued breaches without repercussions are unacceptable.
As public outcry intensifies, questions remain over whether NERC and Ikeja Electric will address the concerns or if consumers will continue to pay for services that fall short of expectations.
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