Save Money on Electricity Bills By Tracking Your Prepaid Meter Usage Right

Every naira counts, literally. With soaring power tariffs and the unpredictability of estimated billing in Nigeria, understanding how to read a prepaid meter is crucial. 

If you’ve ever recharged your prepaid meter only to run out of units in a few days, then you probably don’t track your electricity consumption properly. Without monitoring, you might be wasting power without realising it—leading to frequent recharges and higher bills.

Learning how to read your prepaid meter and track usage can help you avoid sudden power cuts (no more emergency recharges at midnight), spot unusual consumption (like a faulty appliance draining units), and save money by adjusting usage habits.

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Nigeria uses multiple types of prepaid meters, like smart card meters and token-based meters, commonly issued by DISCOs such as Ikeja Electric, Eko Electricity, and Abuja Disco. Whether you receive a scratch card with a token or insert a smart card, understanding your meter type helps you interpret what the display means and what codes to look for.

Check the front of your meter for the brand name. Nigeria uses different prepaid meter brands, including:

• Mojec (common in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt).

• Conlog (popular in Ikeja and Eko DISCO areas).

• Hexing (used by some Abuja DISCOs).

When you look at your meter, you’ll see numbers and symbols like:

• kWh: Kilowatt-hour (your electricity usage).

• Balance: Remaining units.

• Error codes: Like "ERR 05" (tampering) or "LOU" (low balance).

Here’s how to check the balance on a prepaid meter in Nigeria

For Mojec Meters:

1. Press the blue button once to see your remaining balance.

2. Press it again to see the total kWh consumed.

3. Need your meter number? Press 100 and wait.

For Conlog/Hexing Meters:

1. Press the red or white button to cycle through options.

2. Look for "Balance" or "Units Left".

3. If stuck, check the manual or your DISCO’s website.

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Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide on how to read and track your electricity usage on a prepaid meter in Nigeria:

1.  Ensure your prepaid meter is loaded with units. Locate the display, usually above the token keypad or card swipe slot, and write down the available units, including any decimal places.

2. After you've written down your available unit, turn on all your appliances. Set an alarm for one hour, as units are typically measured and consumed per kilowatt-hour (kW/h).

3. When the alarm sounds, take another reading of your available units. Subtract the second reading from the first. The result represents your kW/h, or the amount of electricity consumed per hour.

4. To get a more accurate daily estimate, multiply your hourly consumption by the number of hours electricity is generally available in your area.

Here’s a basic example of this guide: 

Let's assume you load your prepaid meter with 50 units. After running your appliances for one hour, the reading shows 49 units remaining. This indicates that it takes 1 unit to power all your appliances for an hour. If you have 12 hours of power supply in your area, you would use approximately 12 units daily.

This is how to read your prepaid meter in Nigeria. It's best to estimate the reading as several factors can reduce or increase the number of units you use daily. And this estimate helps you plan ahead of unforeseen circumstances. 

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• Keep a small usage logbook or notepad on your phone—record daily balance every evening.
  

• Use DISCO mobile apps: for Ikeja Electric or Eko Electricity, open their official app to check your prepaid meter usage on the go.
  

• Set simple weekly reminders in your phone—something like “check meter every Sunday morning”—so you know exactly how fast your units go.

Reading your prepaid meter and tracking usage isn't complicated. It just requires attention and reliable tools. If you notice your prepaid meter units depleting quickly, several factors could be at play. It's possible there's a faulty meter or unauthorized bypassing of the system, which you should report to your DISCO. 

Alternatively, overloading your electrical system—perhaps with multiple high-power appliances like your fridge, freezer, and inverter operating simultaneously—can consume units rapidly. Changes in your tariff band, which affect the price per kilowatt-hour, might also be a reason. If these explanations don't clarify the issue, reach out to Ikeja Electric or your local Disco's customer care for a detailed breakdown of your usage.