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The short answer
A key change token (KCT) updates the security keys inside your prepaid meter so it can accept tokens from IBEDC's current vending system; without it, new credit tokens are rejected. IBEDC's website links to a Customer KCT Generator, and customer care (07001239999) can also issue one. Load the KCT tokens first, in the order given, then your normal credit token.
Why meters need a key change
Prepaid tokens are encrypted with keys that the meter and the vending system both hold. When a DisCo changes those keys, for example for security or because of a vending system upgrade, meters still on the old keys cannot read new tokens. A KCT is a special token that carries the new key information into the meter.
You will usually know you need one because a fresh credit token fails even though it was bought for the right meter, or because IBEDC or your vendor tells you so. For how tokens work generally, see how prepaid electricity tokens work.
How to get an IBEDC KCT
Option 1: IBEDC's online KCT generator
IBEDC's metering page (ibedc.com/metering) links to a "Customer KCT Generator". You will need your meter number. The page itself does not give step-by-step instructions, so follow the prompts on the generator and write down every token it returns, in order.
Option 2: customer care
Call 07001239999 (or 09155009999, 08055009999, 09062029009, 09062039009) or email customercare@ibedc.com with your meter number, name and address. Ask for the KCT and for the exact loading order.
Option 3: the token vendor
Some vending channels return KCT tokens automatically alongside a credit token when the system knows the meter needs a key change. If your receipt shows more than one 20-digit number, check whether it is labelled as a key change token.
Option 4: a Business Hub office
If none of the above works, take the meter number and a recent receipt to the customer care office at your nearest Business Hub.
Loading order
- Make sure the meter is powered and the screen is on.
- Enter the first KCT token and press Enter. Wait for an accept message.
- Enter the second KCT token (KCTs are often issued as two tokens) and press Enter. Wait for acceptance.
- Only then enter your credit token.
- Check the units balance; see checking units left on an IBEDC meter.
If the KCT itself is rejected
- Check you typed every digit; one wrong digit is the most common cause.
- Confirm the KCT was generated for your meter number and not a neighbour's.
- Confirm the order: first, then second.
- If the meter shows a message you do not understand, write it down exactly and photograph it, then see IBEDC meter error codes.
- Ask IBEDC to regenerate the KCT; quote your complaint reference if one was opened.
If your meter is old enough that IBEDC says it cannot be updated, you may need a replacement. IBEDC's MAP FAQs state that MAP meters belong to IBEDC, so ask whether replacement is at IBEDC's cost before you pay for a new meter. See IBEDC prepaid meter: how to apply.
What a KCT does not do
- It does not add units; your balance stays the same.
- It does not clear debt recorded on the meter.
- It does not fix a meter that is faulty or not receiving supply.
- It should not cost money: a KCT is an update to IBEDC's system, not a purchase. Be wary of anyone charging to "sell" one, and get any KCT only from IBEDC or a recognised vendor.
A worked scenario
Illustrative example. Mrs Adeyemi in Osogbo buys a ₦5,000 token on a Sunday evening. The meter rejects it twice. She checks the receipt: the meter number matches, and she typed the digits correctly. She calls IBEDC, which confirms her meter is due a key change and sends two KCT tokens by SMS. She loads the first, then the second, each accepted, and then re-enters the original ₦5,000 token, which now loads. Nothing was lost: the original token remained valid because it was generated for her meter, and the KCT simply let the meter read it.
The lesson is to keep the original token. Do not buy a second token while the first is unloaded, and do not throw the receipt away when a token fails. If the original token does not load even after a successful key change, raise a complaint with the receipt reference and ask IBEDC to check whether the token was generated with the old keys.
Landlords with several meters should ask IBEDC whether a key change applies to all of them at once, and collect the KCT tokens for each meter number in one request. Write each pair on a slip of paper with the meter number, so tenants load the right tokens on the right meter.
Where Pryme fits
Tokens bought through Pryme bill payments are kept in your history, so if a key change interrupts a purchase you still have the original token and reference to load once the KCT is in. You can then show both receipts to IBEDC if anything goes wrong; for an official copy, use verifiable receipts.
Questions people ask
How do I get KCT for IBEDC meter?
Use the Customer KCT Generator linked from IBEDC's metering page, or call 07001239999 or email customercare@ibedc.com with your meter number.
Do I pay for IBEDC KCT?
A KCT is a key update, not a purchase. Get it from IBEDC or a recognised vendor and be wary of anyone charging for it.
Which do I load first, KCT or token?
Load the KCT tokens first, in the order given, then the credit token.
Why is my IBEDC token rejected after buying?
One common cause is that the meter needs a key change. Others include typing errors or a token for the wrong meter. See our token-rejected guide.
Sources
- IBEDC: Metering (MAP and National Mass Metering Programme) · accessed Oct 2026
- IBEDC: customer contact and payment channels release · accessed Oct 2026
- IBEDC: MAP frequently asked questions · 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.