THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved a tariff hike for Band A customers, who enjoy up to 20 hours of power supply.
The NERC’s vice-chairman, Musliu Oseni, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, April 3.
Oseni said the increase would not affect customers on other bands, and it had taken effect from April 1.
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On Tuesday, April 2, Bloomberg reported that Nigeria would triple energy costs for 15 per cent of energy users, a move aimed at attracting investors into the sector.
Quoting sources in the presidency, Bloomberg reported that the tariff would be increased from N68 to as high as N200/kilowatt-hour, while subsidy would remain for those consuming less electricity.
In his address on Wednesday, Oseni stated that Band A customers made up 15 per cent of the Commission’s 12 million customers in Nigeria, adding that some consumers were being moved to Band B as their electricity distribution companies had failed to provide the required hours of electricity.
In 2021, The ICIR reported that electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) were ripping customers off through the tariff band methodology, as customers were not being supplied with hours of electricity commensurate to their bands.
Despite not receiving the required hours of electricity, customers, mostly those on higher bands, pay higher tariffs for power supply, which is mostly epileptic across Nigeria.
Findings by The ICIR showed that customers do not get redress for being shortchanged due to the Discos’ inability to meet the required electricity supply.
Poor power supply in Nigeria contributes majorly to poor industrialisation, high unemployment, and stagnating rural development.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.