Nigeria: Ikeja Electric commences customer data capturing
By Chinyere Ogbonna – Nigeria’s largest Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), has commenced a data capturing exercise of its numerous customers across its network. Head Corporate Communications, Mr. Felix Ofulue said this has become necessary to enable the company be able to reach its consumers promptly when the need arises.
Mr. Felix Ofulue explained that the exercise which entails capturing the phone numbers, contact details and e-mails of each of its numerous customers within its network, was to ensure that customers begin to receive records/data of their energy consumption and monthly bills on a real-time basis, via e-mail/sms immediately the data is processed and generated.
He said that on completion of the exercise, customers will also be able to receive sms alerts for any payments made against their accounts and information concerning outages, maintenance and network upgrade on real-time basis. Speaking on the exercise, Corporate Communications Head, said that the exercise was put in place to enable customers to better manage energy costs and bill payments, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the billing system on both sides.
Mr. Ofulue urged customers to visit Ikeja Electric’s website (www.ikejaelectric.com) to register their e-mail and Global System Mobile numbers. He encouraged customers to cooperate with its payment agents who are also part of the data capturing team, saying that, “Customers who make payments via Pawakad or Baxibox payment channels, would also be required to register before any transaction could take place.
He further advised that customers should ensure that the details captured in the exercise were that of the payer and not a third party who had been sent to make the payment so that all related information could get to the intended recipient. According to Mr. Ofulue, the exercise, designed to allow customers receive information quickly and enable them to make informed decisions, would however not stop the distribution of paper bills which is a requirement of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Company, NERC.
