NERC denies 50 per cent electricity tariff increase

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has denied approving a 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff in the country.

“The commission hereby state unequivocally that no approval has been granted for 50 per cent tariff increase in the tariff order for Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) which took effect from January 1, 2021.

“On the contrary, the tariff for customers on Service Bands D and E (customers being served less than an average of 12 hours of supply per day for a period of one month) remains frozen and subsidised in line with the policy direction of the Federal Government,” NERC’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Micheal Faloseyi, said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday emailed to Persecondnews.

He, however, admitted that tariff had been adjusted by N2.00 to N4.00 per kWhr to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in foreign exchange rates.

“In compliance with the Electric Power Sector Reforms Acts (EPRSA) and the nation’s tariff methodology for biannual review, the rates for Service Bands A, B, C, D and E have been adjusted by N2.00 to N4.00 per kWhr to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in foreign exchange rates,” Faloseyi said.

According to him, the commission remains committed to protecting electricity consumers from failure to deliver on committed service levels under the service-based tariff regime.

He said: “Any customer that has been impacted by any rate increase beyond the above provision of the tariff order should report to the commission at customer.complaints@nerc.gov.ng.”