Mudiaga Affe and Jude Idu

Any plan to further increase electricity tariffs by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) may attract some resistance by electricity consumers in the country, ThisNigeria has gathered.

Nigerians, who spoke to our correspondents on Sunday said the increment had become too frequent as they would protest any further hike in electricity.

Their displeasure is coming even as the National President of the Electricity Consumers Protection Network, Mr. Kunle Olubiyo has denied any increment.

Also, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) through its Chief Executive Officer, Adeoye Fadeyibi, urged customers to disregard reports of any increment.

It was reported on Saturday that the 11 power Distribution Companies (DisCos) had got NERC’s approval to slightly increase the electricity tariff from Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

A notification to customers from the EKEDC dated August 25, by the General Manager, Loss Reduction at EKEDC, Olumide Anthony-Jerome said, “This is to officially notify you that there will be an increase in electricity tariff with effect from September 1, 2021. This increase is as a result of the nationwide mandate to implement the Service-Based Tariff (SBT) approved by our regulators (NERC).”

The notice said the increase will be reflected on the energy bill for October which will represent energy consumption for September 2021.

“In addition, for our metered customers with internal vending arrangements, we urge you to adjust the rates accordingly to reflect the new tariff increase as released by NERC.”

According to the newly approved plan for Eko DisCo, customers under Band A non-maximum Demand (MD) – customers with lower power consumption capacity have their rates increased by N2 per kilowatts hour (kwh), from N54.08/kWh to N56.08/kWh, and are promised at least 20 hours of supply daily.

“MD1 customers on Band A will pay N58.94/kwh from N56.94/kwh. The tariff will be in effect from September to December 2021,” the notice stated.

For instance, customers on Band D and E are also affected: Residential Customer 2 S (R2S), Commercial customers (C1S) and Industrial customers1S (D1S) who paid N26/kwh between July and August will now pay N28/kwh.

But the President of Lekki Resident Stakeholders Association, Chief James Emadoye, said NERC had failed in its responsibility to protect consumers against DisCos by approving the increase.

He said, “The truth of the matter is whether NERC has abdicated its responsibility towards the Nigerian public in terms of electricity consumption. A few months back when they increased through the different bands which they tagged Band A, Band B, and Band C, they did not live up to their responsibility in making sure that the DisCos met the rules according to those bands.

“The moment the DisCos increased for Band A, B, and C- that was it. Whether they met the 20 hours for Band A, 16 hours for Band B, and the other, nobody asked questions. As far as I am concerned, NERC is no longer protecting the Nigerian public from the DisCos in this regard and it is so sad that while we were still in this abysmal situation of electricity supply, they now are increasing again as from September 1.

“The truth of the matter is that my association, Lekki Resident Stakeholders Association, we are thinking of the protesting to NERC on the original Band A, B and C which they increased for which people are paying the rates but not enjoying the promise service delivery according to the banks and that is one of the major problems we are having at the moment. People who were promised 20 hours in Band A do not get up to 12 hours and they have been paying on that rate.

“Those who are in Band B do not get up to eight hours per day on the average as against 16 hours, yet they pay the rates. The question we need to ask NERC is whether they are protecting DisCos for their inefficiencies. They ought to have done an audit to find out whether the DisCos are performing according to the bands before approving another increase.”

Another electricity consumer, Mrs. Grace Yakub, said NERC had failed to protect consumers across the country.

Yakub, a hairstylist, said she had before now resorted to the use of a generator to keep her business going.

Also, Mr. Solomon Olawale said any further increase would bring Nigerians on the streets again.

Olawale said that he and many other Nigerians had made lower incomes due to the number of units they spend on their businesses.

He added, “Before 2015, we made a good amount of money because with N2,000 you could make up to N10,000 on a weekend. But now that N1, 000 cannot but up to 20 units, it makes the job very uncomfortable.

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“As I told you, it is no longer funny and I know I am speaking the minds of every Nigerian that this administration is taking us to the cleaner. We will resist it this time because the country does not belong to them.”

Meanwhile, Olubiyo said, “I must tell you that we are still talking with the Chairman of the EKO Electricity Distribution Company, though he has denied the rumor making the round on the possible increase in electricity tariff. But remember that this is not the first time such was denied and eventually consumers were met with sudden increase when they go to pay for the tariff.”