Nigeria’s consumer watchdog on Thursday sealed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric in Alausa, Lagos, saying the company failed to obey orders to fix a disputed electricity account and provide meters to separate apartments.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said the action followed a long-running complaint from residents of an Abesan Estate building in Ipaja.
IKEDC were told to split a single “maximum demand” account into 20 separate accounts for 19 flats and a service point, and to install meters and connections for each unit. The utility did not comply.
Bola Adeyinka, the FCCPC’s director of surveillance and investigations, said the seal was a last resort.
“Sealing this facility is a proportionate enforcement measure taken only after repeated engagement and several opportunities for voluntary compliance,” he said.
“The seal will remain in place until Ikeja Electric complies fully with the directives issued by both NERC and the FCCPC and provides written evidence of that compliance.”
Residents welcomed the enforcement after months of trouble. “IE has refused to comply with the resolution reached by the FCCPC,” said a tenant identified as Anike Starmer.
“Our lawyer also recently sent the electricity company a demand notice and shockingly, they did not budge till the seven-day ultimatum that was given to them in the letter expired.”
The dispute dates back to allegations that Ikeja Electric inflated bills, blocked token sales and imposed arbitrary debts on some prepaid meters — findings the FCCPC earlier described as unfair.
The utility has a record of slow compliance with regulator orders, including past NERC directives, according to local investigations.
Ikeja Electric had not issued a public comment on the sealing at the time of reporting.
The FCCPC said its teams will monitor compliance and may extend enforcement if the company fails to meet the regulator’s demands.
