Nigerian firm Vendr.ng offers tech fix for common power dispute, shared electricity meters

Nigerian steadfast Vendr.ng offers tech hole for a communal powerfulness dispute, shared energy meters

As Nigerian households grapple with unreliable and disputed energy billing, 1 institution is betting that bundle — not caller hardware — tin lick a occupation that has strained relationships betwixt neighbours and landlords for years.

LAGOS, Nigeria — For years, Amao Sunday shared an energy metre with respective different households successful Agege, a densely populated suburb of Lagos. Like millions of Nigerians surviving successful shared oregon multi-tenant housing, helium had nary mode of knowing however overmuch powerfulness helium personally utilized — lone what the corporate measure said each month, and however overmuch of it his neighbours insisted was not theirs to pay.

“There was ever a disagreement implicit who utilized much electricity,” Sunday said. “That is wherefore I decided to get my ain astute meter.”

His acquisition reflects a broader vexation successful a state wherever energy entree remains inconsistent, and wherever shared metering — communal successful Nigeria’s dense municipality lodging — often turns neighbours and tenants against 1 different implicit bills nary 1 tin verify.

Vendr.ng, a Nigerian unreality vending platform, is starring the mode inattempting to code the occupation — not by selling caller hardware, but by offering bundle that works with astute meters residents already own.

A workaround, not a replacement