Users of prepaid meters in Lagos recently raised complaints about their inability to recharge their meters. This is coming after the Nigerian Electric Regulatory Commission (NERC) instructed users to get their prepaid meters upgraded. This process is known as TID Rollover and alongside this, NERC instructed the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to provide users with two free Key Change Tokens (KCTs) to enable them perform the meter updates.
Since this directive was made by NERC on August 22nd, 2023, DisCos have had to inform their users to heed to the directive. For residents in Lagos, This move by NERC made Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) or Ikeja Electric to make a tweet about the information. It said that users will need to link meters with National Identification Number (NIN) before going ahead with the upgrade, Something to note is that the existing software on the prepaid meters is set to expire by November 24, 2024.
The information passed by IKEDC did not seem to reach many, which resulted in crowds at their offices seeking to know why they were not able to recharge their meters. However, you don’t have to queue because you can link your NIN with your prepaid meter from home. In this guide, we provide you with the details on how to link your NIN with your prepaid meter…
Steps to Link your NIN with your Prepaid Meter
1. Visit the Smart KYC website and create a user profile using your email address. You’ll receive an email with your login details, including a default password.
2. Log in to the Smart KYC website using the provided details and change your password when prompted.
3. Go to the next page, click on the “Link Your NIN And Meter” option or use this link.
4. If you’re a tenant, don’t tick the “Are you the Landlord?” box. Fill in the “Meter user NIN” and “Current phone number” fields. It will automatically add the “Phone number registered on NIN” field. Click Next.
5. The system retrieves your NIN bio page. Fill in the “Current email address” field and click Next.
6. Review the summary page for accuracy and click “Submit.”
7. In the final step, a pop-up box will appear, requesting your meter number and a 6-digit number to complete the linking process. The number will be sent to both your email and the provided phone number. Fill the fields and submit, and a confirmation message will appear on your screen.
Note: Landlords are permitted to link up to five meters with their NIN.