You don’t need to queue at a vendor or hunt for a POS agent at night when the light finishes. You can buy a prepaid electricity token online from your phone in about a minute, for any of the main distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria, and the token is saved so you can find it again later.
This guide shows you exactly how to do it with BillBoxs, what you need before you start, and how to fix the most common problems when a token won’t load.
What you need before you start
- Your meter number. It’s printed on the front of your prepaid meter, and also on your last token receipt. Most prepaid meter numbers are 11 or 13 digits.
- Your DisCo. This is the company that supplies power to your area, for example Ikeja Electric or Abuja Electric. If you’re not sure, check an old receipt or your meter card.
- A BillBoxs wallet with money in it. You can add money by card, bank transfer or USSD. It takes a minute the first time.
How to buy your token, step by step
- Open BillBoxs and tap Electricity. If you don’t have an account yet, create one free. You’ll set a 4-digit PIN that protects every payment.
- Choose your electricity company from the list.
- Pick Prepaid as the meter type. (Postpaid is for paying a monthly bill instead of buying a token.)
- Enter your meter number and tap Check. We ask your DisCo for the name and address on that meter and show them to you. Make sure they’re right before you go on. This one step stops most “I paid for the wrong meter” problems.
- Enter the amount you want to buy.
- Confirm with your PIN. Your token appears on screen, usually within seconds. Copy it, then type it into your meter’s keypad and press Enter (or the blue/# key, depending on your meter).
Tip: Your token is saved in History, and it’s also on the receipt we email you. If you lose the screen or your phone goes off, open History and tap the payment to see the token again.
Which electricity companies can I pay?
You can buy prepaid tokens and pay postpaid bills for these DisCos:
- Ikeja Electric (IKEDC)
- Eko Electric (EKEDC)
- Abuja Electric (AEDC)
- Kano Electric (KEDCO)
- Port Harcourt Electric (PHED)
- Jos Electric (JED)
- Ibadan Electric (IBEDC)
- Kaduna Electric (KAEDCO)
- Enugu Electric (EEDC)
- Benin Electric (BEDC)
- Aba Power
- Yola Electric (YEDC)
How many units will I get?
The number of units (kWh) you get for your money isn’t set by BillBoxs. It depends on:
- Your tariff band. Customers on Band A (who are supposed to get the most hours of supply) pay a higher rate per unit than other bands.
- VAT, which is taken from the amount before units are worked out.
- Any debt or charges on your meter. Some DisCos take part of each purchase to clear old debts or fixed charges, so you may get fewer units than you expect.
If your units look too low, the DisCo can tell you what was deducted and why. Call their customer care line with your meter number and token.
What to do if your token won’t load
Most token problems are fixed in a few minutes. Try these in order:
- Check that you typed all the digits correctly. Tokens are 20 digits. One missed digit gives an error.
- Make sure the token is for this meter. Open the payment in History and compare the meter number with the one on your meter.
- Enter tokens in order. If you bought more than one, load the oldest one first.
- “Used” or “Old” message: the token has already been loaded. Check your unit balance on the meter.
- “Reject” or “TID” message: your meter may need a key change token (KCT) from your DisCo before it can accept new tokens. This happens after DisCos update meters. Contact your DisCo’s customer care with your meter number and ask for the KCT, load it, then load your token again.
If it still won’t load, contact our support team with your payment reference and a photo of the meter screen. We’ll check with the DisCo for you.
What if the payment shows “Processing”?
Now and then a DisCo is slow to send the token back. When that happens your payment shows Processing. Your money is held safely and the app checks again automatically, and the token appears as soon as the DisCo sends it. If the DisCo says the payment didn’t go through, your money goes straight back to your wallet. You don’t need to pay again (and please don’t, or you may buy two tokens).
Paying for someone else’s meter
You can buy a token for any meter, not just your own. Parents, landlords and people living abroad do this all the time. Just enter their meter number, check the name that comes up, and send them the token by WhatsApp or SMS after you pay. To make it even easier next time, you can turn on Auto-renew and we’ll buy the same amount for you on the schedule you choose.
Free account, a PIN on every payment, and failed orders refunded automatically.
Create a free accountFrequently asked questions
Can I buy an electricity token at night or on Sunday?
Yes. You can buy tokens any time, day or night, including weekends and public holidays, as long as your DisCo’s system is online.
Is there a fee for buying electricity on BillBoxs?
Any fee is shown on screen before you confirm with your PIN, so you always know the full amount. See our prices page for current fees.
I bought a token for the wrong meter. Can I get my money back?
Once a DisCo has issued a token, it’s tied to that meter and usually can’t be reversed. That’s why we show you the name and address on the meter before you pay. If it happens, contact the DisCo and support, and we’ll help however we can.
Where can I see my old tokens?
Every token you buy is saved in History in the app and in your email receipt.
Want the short version? See our quick guide: buy electricity tokens online.
