The CDD War Room received a claim via the Meedan app requesting clarification on a news report that Betsy Obaseki, the wife of the outgoing governor of Edo State, had initiated the sale of 500,000 prepaid metres in the state.
This claim arose amid the upcoming off-cycle election in Edo State, scheduled for September.
Verification:
To verify the accuracy of this claim, the CDD War Room investigated whether news organisations in Nigeria had reported on the matter. We found that several major outlets, including The Daily Trust, The Punch, and The Guardian, had indeed reported on this initiative.
According to these reports, Betsy Obaseki stated that the sale of prepaid meters was intended to make electricity more affordable for residents across the state’s three senatorial districts.
Further investigation revealed that the distribution of prepaid meters by government officials is not exclusive to Edo State.
For instance, the Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, also announced plans to distribute prepaid meters to residents of his state. These initiatives are reported to alleviate the financial burden caused by the recent increase in electricity tariffs across Nigeria.
The installation of prepaid metres is expected to reduce instances of estimated overbilling, which has been a significant issue for many consumers.
It is important to note that earlier this year, the Nigerian federal government announced a substantial increase in electricity tariffs, raising the rate from 6 Naira to 225 Naira.
Despite ongoing challenges with power supply in Nigeria, World Bank data indicates that access to electricity across the country currently stands at 60.5%.
Verdict: True