Upgrading prepaid meters is very important to maintain their functionality and accuracy in measuring electricity consumption. Once a meter is upgraded, it will enhance its energy-conserving efficiency while incorporating other new features.
Upgrading meters in Nigeria is not difficult since it can be completed online. However, before consumers can upgrade their prepaid meters, they will need to link their NIN to their meter. Without the linkage, users won’t be able to upgrade their meters.
So, if you want to upgrade your meter, you will need to link your NIN to it to enable you to get Key Change Tokens (KCT 1 & 2), which are needed for the full upgrade.
Why it is important for electricity consumers to upgrade their prepaid
There are numerous reasons why it is important for people to upgrade their prepaid meters. The reasons are outlined below:
- To enhance the meters monitoring features.
- To enable the meters to have remote access capabilities
- To increase the accuracy of the prepaid meters in measuring electricity consumption
- Meter upgrading helps to incorporate new features in the prepaid meter
Consequences of Customers not Upgrading their Prepaid Meter
The negative impacts of not upgrading your prepaid meters are outlined below:
- There may be inaccuracies in measuring your electricity consumption, which may lead to inaccurate billing
- You may not be able to access advanced features of prepaid meter, leading to loss of service and limited functionality
- Customers may find it difficult to load their recharged tokens when they fail to upgrade their meters.
- Outdated prepaid meters may also pose safety risks due to potential malfunctions or outdated safety features
- Your energy-conserving efficiency may be negatively impacted, etc.
Documents for Upgrading Prepaid Meters
The necessary documents for upgrading prepaid meters include:
- Valid NIN
- Active phone number
- Functional email address
- Key Change Token (KCT 1 & 2)
How to Upgrade a Prepaid Meter Online in Nigeria
There are two major steps that are involved in upgrading prepaid meters online in the country. First of all, you will need to link your NIN to your meter before proceeding to the main upgrade, which requires getting a Key Change Token (KCT), among others. However, for the sake of clarity, we shall be taking them one step at a time. Let get started
First Step: NIN-Prepaid Meter Linkage
The first step to take when upgrading prepaid meters is to link your NIN to your prepaid meter. In fact, if you don’t link your NIN to your meter, you won’t be able to upgrade it. Follow the steps below for your NIN-meter linkage:
- Visit your disco’s NIN-meter linkage portal through their official website.
- Tap on the ‘’Link your NIN and Meter’’ tab.
- Enter your active phone number, NIN, and email address in the space provided.
- Review and confirm your NIN details; if the details are correct, tap on the next button to proceed.
- Enter your meter number and code sent to your email address in the space provided and tap on the ‘’Submit’’ button. And you’re done.
N/B;
Consumers can only link one NIN to their meter; however, property owners that have multiple meters can use their NIN repeatedly in the different meters.
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Once you have linked your NIN to your meter, you can proceed to the next stage of the upgrade.
Second Step: Standard Transfer Specification Prepaid Meter Upgrade Process
- To start the upgrade properly, you will need a Key Change Token (KCT), i.e., a unique ‘reset’ token that will be loaded on your meter. Currently, if you recharge your meter, you’re going to receive three sets of 20-digit tokens, one of which is the KCT.
- Now, enter the first 20-digit token (KCT 1), which will clear the old meter settings. Enter the second 20-digit (KCT 2), which will upgrade your meter properly on the new STS platform.
- Finally, the third 20-digit (KCT 3) is the unit of energy you purchased.
N/B: Customers can only receive KCT 1 and 2 if they link their NIN to their meter. So, without the linkage, you won’t be able to upgrade your meter. Hence, it is best to link yours on time before the time elapses.
Prepaid Meter Upgrade Code
The code for prepaid meter upgrading is *7024#. However, this code may not be universal for all the discos since some electricity distribution companies have their own code configuration.
Additionally, you’re going to be charged a ₦20 fee for using this code. Using this code is quite simple; just dial it on your phone pad and follow the onscreen instructions succinctly to upgrade your meter.
When is the deadline for prepaid meter upgrades?
The last date for prepaid meter upgrading is November 24, 2024. It is important to note that the current software that prepaid meters are using globally will expire by November this year; it is known as TID Rollover. In addition to that, all Standard Transfer Specification prepaid meters that operate under the IE network must be upgraded before the deadline to avoid limited functionality.
Conclusion
Upgrading a prepaid meter is not difficult since there are no unique skills required. So, if you are using a prepaid meter in your property, we strongly recommend that you upgrade it before the deadline to enable you to continue using it to keep track of your energy consumption.
