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The short answer
Under NERC's Connection and Disconnection Procedures 2007, a new occupant applies to the distributor in their own name for supply at an existing address, and the distributor must connect within 48 hours and issue future bills in that name unless agreed otherwise. Before you move in or out of an EEDC home, record the meter reading, check for arrears, and ask EEDC in writing to close or transfer the account.
Moving into a flat in Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri, Umuahia or Abakaliki usually comes with a meter already on the wall. Whether that meter is prepaid or postpaid, it is linked to an account, and the account has a name and a history. The two questions most tenants ask are how to get the account into their own name, and whether they can be made to pay a bill run up by the person before them. This guide sets out what the regulations say and the practical steps that protect you.
What the regulations say
NERC's Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services 2007 (S.I. 41 of 2007), a copy of which EEDC links on its own website, sets the rules for supply at an address that is already connected. Under regulation 1, a customer who wants supply at an existing address must:
- apply to the distribution company in their own name, in the format it requires;
- accept its approved terms and conditions of supply;
- pay any connection charge or security deposit the distributor requires and NERC has approved; and
- provide acceptable identification and the information needed to supply the address.
Regulation 2 then requires the distributor to give the customer its terms in writing, to connect the address as soon as practicable and not later than 48 hours after the application, and, unless otherwise agreed, to issue all future bills for the address in the name of that customer.
For the person moving out, regulation 8 says that when a customer asks for supply to be disconnected, the distributor must do so, after confirming the consent of other occupants, and must not bill that customer for any period after the date the supply should have been disconnected.
The debt question
The 2007 regulations tie bills to the named customer who applied for supply, which is why putting the account in your own name from your first day matters. We did not find, on the EEDC or NERC pages we opened in October 2026, a published rule that sets out in plain terms how arrears left by a previous occupant are treated. In practice the safest course is to make sure there is nothing outstanding before you take over.
If you are moving in
- Photograph the meter display and meter number on the day you get the keys.
- For a postpaid meter, ask the landlord for the latest bill and proof that it was paid. For a prepaid meter, buy a small token first and check whether the receipt shows any deduction against the amount.
- Write the opening reading and any arrears into your tenancy agreement or a signed handover note.
- Apply to EEDC (or MainPower in Enugu State) to change the account name, attaching your ID and the handover note.
If you are moving out
- Ask in writing for a final reading or for the account to be closed or transferred, quoting regulation 8 if needed.
- Photograph the final reading and keep the date.
- Pay the final bill, or for prepaid, leave the remaining units for the landlord or next tenant only by agreement.
Worked example: settling at handover
Example only. A tenant on a postpaid meter moves out on 30 June. The last bill, for May, was ₦18,400 and has been paid. The June reading is 2,315 kWh against a May reading of 2,215 kWh, so 100 kWh was used in June. If the receipt or bill shows a rate of ₦66.47 per kWh, the Band B non-MD rate in EEDC's published tariff table (July 2024), the energy charge is 100 × 66.47 = ₦6,647, and with VAT at 7.5% the total is ₦7,145.53. The outgoing tenant pays that figure to EEDC, and both parties sign a note showing the 2,315 kWh closing reading.
Use your own band and the rate printed on your latest bill: rates differ by band, and in Enugu State tariffs are set by EERC.
What to check first
- Is the meter prepaid or postpaid? See prepaid vs postpaid.
- Which band is the address on? EEDC links a band verification tool; our guide on checking your band explains why it matters.
- Is the premises in Enugu State (MainPower and EERC) or another EEDC state (EEDC and NERC)?
- Do you have the meter number and the account number exactly as printed?
If you have no meter, EEDC's MAP request portal lets you apply for one; see EEDC prepaid meter: how to apply. This is information, not legal advice.
Where Pryme fits
Paying the final bill or first token from the Pryme app gives each side a dated record. A verifiable receipt, made with VerifyDoc.ai, lets a landlord or the next tenant check that the payment record is genuine and unaltered.
Questions people ask
Can EEDC make me pay the previous tenant's bill?
The NERC 2007 regulations tie future bills to the customer who applies for supply at the address. We found no published EEDC rule on arrears left by a previous occupant, so check for arrears before moving in, record them in writing, and apply to put the account in your name.
How do I change the name on my EEDC meter?
Apply to EEDC, or MainPower in Enugu State, in your own name with ID and proof of occupancy. Under the NERC 2007 regulations the distributor should then issue future bills in your name unless otherwise agreed.
How long does EEDC have to connect me at an existing address?
Regulation 2 of NERC's 2007 Connection and Disconnection Procedures says as soon as practicable and not later than 48 hours after you apply.
What should I do with my prepaid meter when I move out?
Photograph the final balance and meter number, agree with the landlord what happens to remaining units, and tell the distributor in writing if the account was in your name.
Sources
- NERC Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services 2007 (S.I. 41 of 2007), copy hosted by EEDC · accessed Oct 2026
- EEDC: Current Tariff page, End-User Tariff table (image dated July 2024, page updated 10 Jul 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- EEDC website: homepage, payment, MAP, complaint and band links · accessed Oct 2026
- TechEconomy: EERC insists on electricity tariff reduction (26 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.