Prepaid meter token, a 20-digit number that is loaded to the meter to add to the credit balance. It is a unique sequence of numbers that electricity providers give to consumers when they recharge electricity.
This code is unique and it is meter-specific. This means that you can only load the token at the particular meter for which you used its number during the recharging process. When recharging a meter, you will be asked to provide a meter. Once you receive the token, you can only use it for that particular one and not another one.
A prepaid meter token has a validity period; hence, it expires. The validity period of a prepaid meter token in Nigeria is three months. This means that, after three months since you bought the token, it will expire and become worthless. So, it is best to load the token into your meter once you buy it to get value for your money.
What is a prepaid meter token?

A prepaid meter token is a unique number that is generated by the electricity distribution company. It is normally given to the electricity consumer to recharge their prepaid meter.
This token is usually a 20-digit number and it contains relevant information like the electricity units purchased. Once loaded, this token will automatically translate into units of electricity that are equal to the amount you recharged.
In Nigeria, electricity consumers can load this token into the customer interface unit (CIU) of the meter. Whenever the token is loaded, it will add to the prepaid meter credit.
Benefits of Prepaid Meter Token
The benefits of prepaid meter tokens are enormous and they include:
- It helps electricity consumers manage and control their energy consumption with ease.
- It eliminates billing disputes.
- It enables electricity consumers to adopt energy-efficient practices.
- It is pretty easy to get and load the token.
Prepaid Meter Prepaid Token Validity Period
The validity period of a prepaid meter token is 3 months. This means that if you buy a token from your electricity provider, it will only last for three months before it expires.
So, it is best to load your token into the customer interface unit of your prepaid meter whenever you receive it. This is important because if you don’t load it after buying it, you may forget it and it will expire, leading to a waste of resources.
What happens when the validity period of a token expires is that when you try loading, you will get a response ‘’old’’ on your CIU screen. Once you get this response, it means that the validity period of the token has expired.
Does the prepaid meter token expire?
Yes, the prepaid meter token expires. The token expires after three months of its purchase. Hence, it is best to load your prepaid meter token before it expires.
However, there are speculations that tokens may last up to a year, while others argue that they don’t expire but the reality is that they have a validity period, after which they become useless.
Can Expired Prepaid Meter Token be Used?
No, you can’t use expired prepaid meter token because it is worthless. Once a prepaid token expires, it becomes valueless. So, it is best to load your token within three months of purchase to get its worth.
Conclusion
A prepaid meter token has a validity of three months. This means that after three months of buying a token from your electricity provider, it will expire and become worthless. Hence, it makes sense to load your token once you buy it so that you won’t forget it and it will expire.