Residents of Edo State are raising alarm over abnormally high electricity bills issued by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), with some households receiving charges five to ten times higher than usual, despite ongoing erratic power supply.
Joy Edoseghe, a bottled water seller in Benin City, described her plight as “suffocating,” saying she received a shocking N318,000 electricity bill for March 2026, despite barely having access to power.
“I only run a small store; how can this be? It’s absurd,” Edoseghe lamented, appealing for government intervention.
She recounted a similar N317,000 bill in February 2026, which forced her to negotiate with BEDC for a reduction to N200,000 just to keep her cold water business operational.
Despite relocating her household from Band B to Band A in hopes of better service, she said power supply worsened, while bills continued to soar. “I’m at a loss,” she added, noting the strain of paying staff salaries and other operational costs under such conditions.
She described the situation as “discouraging,” particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the state.
An organized group opposing BEDC’s practices, known as “Oppressive Tendencies,” has condemned what it described as extortion and intimidation. The group issued a 21-day ultimatum to the distribution company to resolve the challenges and restore reliable electricity to Edo residents.
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Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, leader of the group, accused BEDC of receiving trillions of naira in payments for services not rendered, citing widespread complaints.
Speaking at a press briefing in Benin City on Monday, he demanded accountability and urged regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers, to verify the integrity of BEDC’s meters.
Other stakeholders at the briefing, including Comrades Kola Edokpayi, Bevy Efe, and Kelly Osunbor, called on the Edo State Government to intervene in the power crisis. They suggested negotiating with Ossiomo Power Company as an alternative provider to break BEDC’s monopoly and secure direct electricity supply for residents.
They also urged the federal government to settle debts owed to generating companies (GenCos), enabling upgrades to power infrastructure and improved electricity generation.
The group further announced plans to establish rapid response committees across the state, capable of reacting within 10 minutes to any alleged malpractice by BEDC.
When contacted, Evelyn Gbiwen, Head of Branding and Corporate Communications at BEDC, appealed for patience, citing limited gas supply as a contributing factor to the erratic service.
She encouraged customers experiencing billing issues to visit BEDC customer care offices for rectification and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving service delivery.
The ongoing crisis has intensified public outcry in Edo State, highlighting growing tensions between consumers, power distributors, and regulatory authorities over billing accuracy and reliable electricity provision.