Ikeja Electric has introduced a buy-now-pay-later electricity scheme called Energy Advance, allowing eligible customers to draw up to N20,000 worth of electricity units on credit and pay later.
The distribution company announced the service in an official notice to customers, saying it is designed to prevent unexpected power interruptions when units run out at inconvenient times.
Under the scheme, qualifying customers can receive electricity units immediately even when they do not have funds at that moment, and repay the equivalent value afterwards.
The company said the service is meant to help households stay connected and individuals remain productive without waiting to top up their accounts.
The service is not open to all customers. Ikeja Electric said only those who meet specific eligibility conditions can access it. Interested customers are directed to the company’s payments portal at ie-payments.com to confirm whether they qualify and to use the service.
No additional registration platform was announced outside the existing payments portal.
Customers are expected to log in or verify their account status directly through the website before using Energy Advance. Ikeja Electric did not disclose the repayment timeline or the criteria used to determine qualifying customers, but confirmed that the scheme is currently live.
The launch follows growing pressure on Nigerian electricity consumers who frequently face disruptions linked to prepaid meter top-up challenges, especially during periods of economic difficulty.
It also comes as Ikeja Electric has opened a compensation portal that allows eligible Band A customers to claim refunds in the form of free electricity units after prolonged poor power supply earlier this year.
That move follows a directive from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which ordered electricity distribution companies to compensate affected customers for failing to meet the minimum service levels promised under the Band A tariff.
It was earlier reported that Ikeja Electric apologised to customers experiencing power outages across parts of its network, blaming the disruptions on gas supply shortages affecting electricity generation on the national grid.
The company acknowledged the inconvenience caused to households and businesses and assured customers that steps were being taken to address the situation.
For prepaid electricity customers, Energy Advance offers short-term relief when funds are tight and the alternative is sitting in the dark. But with repayment terms and eligibility rules still undisclosed, customers will need to confirm their status on the portal and manage the obligation carefully before borrowing units.
