Implication of Estimated Electricity Billing on Consumer Satisfaction in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory

Abstract

This study asses the implication of Estimated Electricity Billing on Consumer Satisfaction in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The paper is focused at presenting the adverse effects of electricity overbilling on consumers under the estimated billing system. The research work attempts a comparison of the Estimated and the Prepaid billing systems stating the weaknesses of the former and the strengths of the latter. Information for the research work was gathered using secondary sources of data which include: Journals, textbooks and the internet. The Neo Liberalism theory, by was adopted as
theoretical framework for the study. The study identified that the estimated billing system is not accurate and consumers are forced to pay outrageous bills compared to their monthly consumption. Hence, some advantages of the prepaid billing system are highlighted which include: Provision for consumers to know and control their electricity consumption; enables consumers to pay only for electricity consumed and not for electricity not consumed, etc. the paper recommends the total annihilation of the estimated billing system and complete enforcement of the prepaid billing system. Finally, the study concludes that the prepaid
billing system would improve the welfare of electricity customers being that it makes provision for consumer regulation of electricity utilization as well as assist the consumer to imbibe the culture of discipline in electricity power consumption. Again, there would be significant improvement in output, improved revenue collection, reduced operational cost, minimized power wastage and reduced non-technical losses.