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Electricity guide · updated 25 Sep 2026

Electricity token rejected or not loading? Here is the fix.

The common reasons a prepaid meter will not accept a token, what the error on the screen means, and who to contact - from NERC and the DisCos' own guidance.

In short · facts checked 25 Sep 2026

Most rejected tokens come from a wrong meter number or DisCo, a token typed with a missing digit, or a meter that still needs its key change tokens (KCT) after the 24 November 2024 token-ID rollover. Load any unused token first, then enter the two 20-digit KCTs from your DisCo, then the new token. If it still fails, contact your DisCo with the meter number - facts checked 25 Sep 2026 against NERC and DisCo guidance.

Check these first

  1. Right meter and DisCo. A token only works on the meter it was bought for. On AidaPay the customer name on the meter is shown before you pay - if it was not yours, the token belongs to another meter.
  2. All 20 digits. Prepaid tokens are 20 digits. A short entry shows an error such as "E6" on some meters.
  3. Keypad connected. "Link error" usually means the keypad (UIU) is not talking to the meter - put in a fresh battery and plug it into a socket close to the meter.
  4. Not already used. Every token can be loaded only once, on one meter.

Rejected since November 2024? Your meter may need KCT

STS (Standard Transfer Specification) is a secure message system for carrying information between a point of sale and a prepaid meter; STS tokens can only be used by the intended meter and only once. (NERC)

The Token Identifier (TID) is a 24-bit field that records the date/time a token was generated (counted from a 1993 base date) and is used to invalidate used tokens. All STS meters were affected by the TID rollover on 24 November 2024; tokens generated after that date are rejected by meters that were not migrated. (NERC)

The rollover fix is to reset the meter's TID memory and load a new meter key with 2 special key change tokens (KCTs). NERC Order NERC/2023/005 (effective 6 July 2023) required DisCos to migrate meters from key revision 1 to key revision 2 by 31 July 2024, upgrade vending systems to STS600-4-2, and banned installing non-KRN2 meters from 6 July 2023. (NERC)

Energy tokens are 20 digits; a KCT is two 20-digit numbers (40 digits in all) loaded one after the other. (jedplc.com)

'Reject' on loading a token commonly means the meter needs a new KCT (e.g. after a tariff or platform change); 'EEE' means the token is on a different tariff and needs a KCT. (beninelectric.com)

Load unused tokens BEFORE entering the KCTs; unused old tokens are rejected once the meter is updated. Then enter KCT 1, then KCT 2, then new credit tokens. (abujaelectricity.com)

What to do: ask your DisCo for your meter's key change tokens (many have a KCT or TID portal - see the contacts below). Load any unused token first, then enter the two KCTs, then your new token.

What does the error on my meter mean?

The message on your meter's keypad tells you what went wrong. These meanings come from the DisCos' own help pages:

You seeWhat it meansWhat to do
E6The token was entered with fewer than 20 digits.Re-enter all 20 digits carefully. JED
Link errorThe keypad is not talking to the meter.Put a fresh battery in the keypad, plug it into a socket near the meter, check the changeover is on utility supply, then try again. EKEDC, JED
Time outThe keypad lost contact during loading.Check the pairing and battery, then load again. JED
RejectThe meter needs new key change tokens (KCT) - common since the November 2024 TID rollover.Get your two KCTs from your DisCo, load them, then load the token. BEDC
EEE / EEEEEEEEEThe token was generated on a different tariff from the one your meter holds.Ask your DisCo for a KCT for your tariff, or report it to your DisCo's customer care unit. BEDC, JED
Spanner signThe meter is in tamper mode.Ask your DisCo for a clear-tamper code. BEDC
0 units after loadingThe token may not have loaded, it may have gone to clear borrowed units, or the meter may be faulty.Check the meter's credit screen; if it stays at zero, report it to your DisCo. JED

Error names differ between meter brands - if yours is not listed, your DisCo's help line (below) can tell you what it means.

Lost your token?

If you bought it on AidaPay, the token is on your receipt and in your transaction history in the app - open the transaction to copy it again. For tokens bought elsewhere, some DisCos offer token retrieval on their websites.

DisCo contacts

DisCoContactBuy tokens
Ikeja Electric (Ikeja Electricity Distribution Plc)
ikejaelectric.com
0201-7000-250
0201-227-2940
09088951626
IKEDC token →
Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP / EKEDC)
ekedp.com
0708 067 1170
0700 123 5666
[email protected]
EKEDC token →
Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC)
abujaelectricity.com
08039070070
08152141414
08152151515
AEDC token →
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Plc (IBEDC)
ibedc.com
07001239999
09155009999
08055009999
IBEDC token →
Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc (PHED)
phed.com.ng
0700 2255 7433
09087838800
09087838801
PHED token →
Kano Electricity Distribution Plc (KEDCO)
kedco.ng
0700 5555 1111
[email protected]
KEDCO token →
Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED)
jedplc.com
07069403531
08111793291
019125187
JED token →
BEDC Electricity Plc (Benin)
beninelectric.com
0700 000 2332
08125277248
[email protected]
BEDC token →
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How we check this guide

The AidaPay team checked the facts on this page on 25 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 [email protected] and we will correct it.

Sources: NERC Order on the migration of the STS token identifier (NERC/2023/005) · DisCo help pages - linked beside each fact