Residents of Jahi 2 in the Jahi District of Abuja have raised the alarm over what they described as “crazy billing” by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), alleging extortion and unfair electricity charges.

In the latest electricity bill dated July 21, 2025, and made available to , each household in the affected area was slammed with a uniform charge of ₦180,000, an astronomical leap from their previous monthly bills which ranged between ₦30,000 and ₦38,000.

The residents, particularly from Zones A, B, and C in the Gida Wonka area of the community, expressed outrage over the sudden increase, describing the charges as arbitrary and exploitative, especially given the poor power supply they currently endure.

“This is pure extortion. We hardly get electricity for up to 10 days a month. How can they justify billing us ₦180,000?” a resident who pleaded anonymity queried.

The community, which relies on three transformers located in the Sharp Corner, Banana, and Gida Wonka areas, has long been grappling with epileptic power supply.

Of the three transformers, the one serving the Gida Wonka area, divided into Zones A, B, and C, is said to be in poor condition, resulting in a rationing arrangement that limits power supply every day.

Residents lamented that
Despite enduring intermittent electricity for over two years, they are now being subjected to what they call unjustifiable billing.

“The transformer in our zone is barely functional, and yet we’re billed as if we have 24-hour power. We demand an immediate reversal of this billing and the installation of a reliable transformer,” Mr Monday Stephen, told .

Community members called on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and other relevant authorities to intervene and investigate the AEDC’s billing practices in the area.

As of press time, there was no official statement from the AEDC, but a staff member who pleaded anonymity denied the extortion allegation.

Also, the staff justified the new billing charges, saying that the electricity consumers from the affected community had been migrated from Jabi Feeder to Gwarinpa, which is a Band ‘A’ Feeder.

This, he said, was responsible for the new billing regime in the community.