In a move aimed at enhancing customer service and addressing long-standing complaints from power users, the Federal Government has issued a directive to electricity distribution companies (Discos) to establish customer engagement platforms within the next three months, commencing from September 1, 2023. This directive mandates Discos to have these facilities fully operational by January 2024.
The directive was conveyed through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and comes in response to the persistent inability of Discos to effectively resolve the grievances of electricity consumers. This vital directive was detailed in a document titled ‘Order on Deployment of Customer Engagement Platforms’ bearing the reference number NERC/2023/006, in Abuja on Thursday.
The government emphasized that this order will come into effect on September 1, 2023, and will remain in force until amended or revoked by subsequent orders issued by NERC.
Providing context for the directive, NERC disclosed that it had conducted various forums, including town hall meetings and public consultations, and reviewed numerous complaints from electricity distribution licensees (Discos). These efforts unveiled widespread dissatisfaction among customers with the slow resolution of issues reported to Discos.
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In response, NERC has decided to implement a call center as part of the solution. This call center is envisioned to significantly improve the rate at which complaints are resolved by offering near real-time visibility into customer issues reported to Discos. Additionally, it will serve as a valuable tool for monitoring the quality of service provided by Discos to their customers.
The regulatory body also revealed that it had enlisted the services of a consultant for the deployment of the call center. Furthermore, NERC emphasized that it expects all Discos to establish comprehensive customer engagement platforms that seamlessly integrate with the system mandated by the commission.
This directive underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of electricity consumers and improving the overall service quality in the power sector.
