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By Adewale Sanyaolu
Except there is a policy reversal by the federal government, 12 million electricity consumers categorized under Band A (Those enjoying electricity supply for a minimum of 20 hours) in the new electricity tariff structure would spend N54 billion in 20 hours, Daily Sun data analysis has shown.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), last week, increased electricity tariff for Band A customers from the current N66 per kilowatt hour to N225, representing a 240 per cent increase.
The Discos revenue generation figure according to further data analysis by Daily Sun showed that N225 per kilowatt hour multiplied by 12 million electricity consumers translates to N2.7 billion in one hour of electricity consumption, when 12 million consumers is further multiplied by 20 hours which is the minimum hour of consumption under Band A, that gives a whopping N54 billion.
NERC in 2020 introduced Service-Based Tariff (SBT) to improve service delivery to end-user Customers and ensure that electricity tariffs paid by end-user customers are a reflection of the services delivered by the Distribution Companies based on the number of hours of electricity supply per day.
Other categorization under the SBT are Band B: Minimum of 16 hours daily electricity supply, Band C: Minimum of 12 hours daily electricity supply, Band D: Minimum of 8 hours and Band E: Minimum of 4 hours daily electricity supply.
A statement by the NERC Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Musiliu Oseni, however, assured that customers on Band B to E would not be impacted in the new tariff adjustment.
He disclosed that customers in Band A account for 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity consumers in the nation.
Though, the recent hike in electricity tariff has not gone without backlash as members of the organised private sector, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) consumer advocacy groups and social media commentators have called on the Federal Government to reverse the increase without delay.
Despite assurances from NERC that the tariff increase was not for all categories of consumers, a larger number of the consuming public have kicked against the policy.
To further douse tension and outrage, NERC in an advocacy post on X(formerly Twitter) on Sunday called on consumers to visit their respective DisCo website to see if they are affected by the tariff change, adding that they could check the revised list of Band A customers(reduced from over 1000 feeders to about 480) or use their meter account number to check their Band.
“If you are a Band A customer, your DisCo is expected to provide you with at least 20 hours of electricity daily.It is your right to receive that minimum hoursof power daily. Monitor it. Report it.
Report Quality of Service delivery to NERC so appropriate actions can be instituted against the erring DisCo.
If you are a Band B-E customer under the tariff regime and you are overcharged for electricity tokens, report immediately. The government is still subsidizing your electricity at old rates.
All DisCos have been ordered by NERC to refund all erroneous deductions from customers not in the revised Band A latest by April 12, 2024,’’.
