Ghana’s power regulator confronts ECG over prepaid billing concerns
Mounting consumer frustration over rapidly draining prepaid electricity units has prompted the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to summon senior officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for an emergency meeting in Accra.
In a letter dated February 25, 2026, PURC Executive Secretary Dr Shafic Suleman directed ECG’s Managing Director and heads of technical, commercial, ICT, and customer service divisions to appear on Thursday, February 26. The regulator said it had “taken note of widespread media reports and public complaints alleging rapid depletion of prepaid electricity units” following the January tariff adjustment under the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
The Commission emphasized that the complaints carry “regulatory, technical and consumer protection implications” and risk undermining public trust in Ghana’s metering and vending systems. ECG is expected to provide a detailed technical briefing on how the revised tariffs were integrated into prepaid systems, including any changes to configuration settings, conversion logic, or meter update procedures.
PURC has also requested data on vending trends, the scale of consumer complaints, and immediate interventions, both technical and communication-related to safeguard confidence in the system.
The controversy has drawn the attention of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition. Minister Dr John Abdulai Jinapor has directed ECG to conduct its own investigation and submit a comprehensive report within seven days. His spokesperson, Richmond Rockson, said: “The PURC, the Energy Commission, the Ministry, and all the agencies are working together to get to the bottom of the matter and resolve it fairly and impartially.”
ECG has denied wrongdoing, insisting that its billing system reflects only tariffs approved by PURC. Communications Director William Boateng told Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem show: “Whatever increment PURC gives us is what is captured in our system. We have not implemented anything beyond that.”
Boateng argued that higher bills may be linked to usage patterns rather than irregular charges. “When the heat increases, someone can even double the use of cooling appliances. That alone can affect your consumption,” he explained, pointing to the proliferation of electrical gadgets in Ghanaian households as another factor driving demand.
On January 1, 2026, PURC introduced a 9.86% tariff increase under the 2026–2030 MYTO framework, aimed at funding long-term investments in Ghana’s electricity infrastructure. The adjustment coincided with rising inflation in electricity and gas, which jumped from 6.1% in December 2025 to 14.8% in January 2026, intensifying public concern.
The February 26 meeting is expected to clarify how the MYTO tariff adjustment was applied within prepaid systems, review technical parameters, and outline measures to address consumer complaints. For many Ghanaians, the issue is not only about billing but about trust in national utilities at a time when energy costs are rising and households are under pressure.
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