By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD, mnipr
The Delta State Coalition of All Civil Societies (CODESCO) has expressed deep concern over what it described as fraudulent and unjustifiable electricity billing practices by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
Speaking in Asaba, Comrade Kenneth Ngobi, Secretary of CODESCO and Coordinator of Citizens for Good Governance, said residents across Delta, Edo, Ondo, and parts of Ekiti under the control of BEDC are being subjected to arbitrary charges, even in the face of poor power supply.
Ngobi noted that unmetered households, which used to pay between ₦8,000 and ₦15,000 monthly, now receive bills as high as ₦20,000 to ₦30,000 — despite little or no electricity supply. He questioned the basis of the billing system, which BEDC attributes to “CAP allocation” provided by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“We want to query NERC to explain how these CAPs are calculated. Does the allocation reduce when there is steady light? Does it increase during months of epileptic power supply? Because what we are seeing now looks like a case of extensive fraud,” Ngobi said.
He cited an instance where a hotel’s monthly bill suddenly jumped from ₦2 million to ₦12 million without any additional infrastructure or increased consumption. According to him, such arbitrary increments point to a deliberate attempt to exploit citizens.
Ngobi stressed that while Nigerians often blame the Federal Government for electricity challenges, distribution companies like BEDC must also be held accountable.
“Everything is not about the Federal Government. BEDC must ensure transparency and fairness in how these so-called allocated bills are shared. Citizens deserve clarity, moderation, and justice,” he added.
The coalition vowed to mobilize civil society organizations to press for accountability from both BEDC and NERC, insisting that Nigerians should not be made to pay for inefficiency and systemic corruption in the power sector.