The Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) had on Wednesday increased the tariff for Band A electricity consumers. It said Band A consumers are those who enjoy power supply for at least 20 hours daily.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) has directed all Electricity Distribution Companies (“DisCos”) to provide as much clarity as possible to all affected customers.
A lot of persons are wondering how businesses could flourish as desired by Tinubu when the amount to be paid per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity jumped from N68 to N225 just within 24 hours of its announcement. and especially at this times where Nigerians are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol and floating of the domestic currency.
The DisCos are hereby directed to implement the following updates:
1. All DisCos shall ensure that ONLY the newly approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders are maintained as band A for the purpose of vending to prepaid customers and billing for post paid customers on their networks.
2. All DisCos are required to immediately post on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders that have been affected by the rate review.
3. All DisCos shall set up a portal by 10th April 2024 on their website that allows all customers to check their current Bands by entering their meter or account numbers.
4. All customers wrongly billed at the new rate should be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday 11th April 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the Commission by 12th April 2024.
5. The Commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements listed above and shall continue to provide support to all stakeholders as required.
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere had called on President Bola Tinubu to compel the Ministry of Power, to reverse the present hike, go into alternative energy sources like solar and wind, review the terms with which the 2013 exercise was carried out and be more innovative.
Atiku, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 presidential election, said that the President, Bola Tinubu’s men are pushing the economy into a deeper crisis. This present government reforms are without a human face, unleashing another dose of pain and suffering on Nigerians without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain.