By Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Angella Ajere, Head of Customer Service at Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED), says the company handles over 17,000 customer complaints each month.
These issues come from across its franchise areas. She shared this in Calabar during a break at the NERC/PHED Customer Engagement and Complaint Resolution Forum.
Ajere explained that complaints vary widely. They include power cuts, low voltage, meter problems, billing disputes, disconnections, band-related issues, and enquiries. Many involve estimated billing, which PHED resolves using the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) approved Capping Methodology.
“As a DISCO, we deal with 17,000 to 21,000 complaints monthly,” she said. “For overbilling issues, we follow NERC’s capping method to sort them out.” She admitted complaints are inevitable in electricity services. However, PHED is committed to tackling both technical and commercial problems.
Ajere added that new projects will help. “With capped billing and upcoming metering plans, we’re reducing overbilling complaints,” she noted. The forum also educates customers on key topics like NERC rules, safety, infrastructure updates, and energy theft risks.
The goal, she said, is to boost satisfaction through better service. It also builds trust and strengthens ties with customers. Gabriel Modukpe, PHED’s Regional Manager, spoke for MD/CEO Ete Pinnick. He confirmed the forum has resolved many issues.
Modukpe also highlighted its benefits in Cross River State. “Besides education, we’ve built a better relationship with consumers here,” he said. The forum fosters harmony and keeps complaints in check.