What happened
Band A customers pay the highest price per unit in exchange for at least 20 hours of supply a day. In February and March 2026 the grid could not deliver it. Gas shortages and vandalised pipelines cut generation across the country, and many Band A feeders ran short.
In early June 2026 NERC issued Directive NERC/2026/002, Special Compensation of Band A Customers Arising from Grid Generation Constraints. It covers eight DisCos: Abuja (AEDC), Eko, Port Harcourt (PHED), Kano (KEDCO), Kaduna, Ikeja Electric, Ibadan (IBEDC) and Benin (BEDC).
Who qualifies
Three conditions together:
- You were on a Band A feeder in February or March 2026.
- The feeder delivered under 18 hours a day. Feeders between 18 and 20 hours stay under NERC's ordinary compensation rules instead.
- You are a customer of one of the eight DisCos named in the directive.
Qualification is decided per feeder, not per customer. If one neighbour on your feeder qualifies, you should too, provided your meter was on that feeder at the time.
How much you get
| Customer | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Ordinary (non-MD) customers | 20 percent of the approved February 2026 energy cap for the affected feeder |
| Maximum-demand (MD) customers | 20 percent of the average energy billed per MD customer in February 2026 |
The compensation is paid in energy, not cash. You see the kWh when the token loads, or as a credit line on the next bill.
How to check and claim
| DisCo | How to check |
|---|---|
| IBEDC | AidaPay's free IBEDC compensation checker asks IBEDC's compensation service and shows the token with a copy button. If there is no compensation, it also checks IBEDC's MAP refund portal. |
| Ikeja Electric | Ikeja Electric's Band A Compensation Portal: enter your meter number and, if the feeder qualifies, it shows the compensation in kWh. |
| AEDC, Eko, PHED, KEDCO, Kaduna, BEDC | Watch your DisCo's website and SMS, and ask customer care with your meter number and feeder name. Postpaid customers should look for the credit line on the bill. |
A compensation token loads like any other: type the 20 digits on the meter keypad and press Enter. It can be loaded once, on the meter it was issued for.
Rules your DisCo must follow
- Deadlines. February's compensation was due by 31 May 2026 and March's by 30 June 2026.
- No offsetting. Compensation may not be used to clear debts on your account.
- Clear notice. The DisCo must tell you how much compensation you got and which period it covers.
If a DisCo ignores these, complain in writing and keep the reference number. NERC's forum office for your state is the next step.
Compensation before 2026
This is not the first time. NERC's April 2025 tariff review ordered nine DisCos to compensate Band A customers on 557 streets, across 152 feeders, whose supply fell between 18 and 20 hours a day. Eko had the most, with 155 streets. The same review moved 58 streets down a band and 33 streets up into Band A.
The pattern is worth knowing. A Band A feeder that misses its hours should either pay you back or lose its Band A price. Our electricity bands guide shows how to check yours.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to apply for Band A compensation?
I am Band B. Do I get anything?
My feeder gave 19 hours a day. Is that covered?
Can the DisCo use my compensation to pay an old debt?
Is there a deadline to collect it?
How we check this guide
The AidaPay team checked the facts on this page on 29 Sep 2026 against the sources below - network, regulator and company pages first, and at least two independent sources where no official page exists. Prices come live from AidaPay. Spotted something out of date? Email help@aidapay.ng and we will correct it.
Sources: Vanguard: NERC approves compensation for eligible Band A electricity customers (June 2026) · Legit.ng: Ikeja Electric opens compensation portal for Band A customers (2026) · Ikeja Electric: Band A Compensation Portal · IBEDC: Compensation tokens for eligible Band A customers · Daily Trust: NERC orders DisCos to compensate Band A customers in 557 streets (2025)