The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has admitted that it effected a hike in electricity tariff for some service bands in order to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in foreign exchange rates.
The Commission in a statement issued on Tuesday, quoted that management as saying that, the rates for service bands A, B, C, D, and E have been adjusted by NGN2.00 to NGN4.00 per kWhr.
However, the NERC’s Head of Public Affairs, Micheal Faloseyi, denied the report in a statement released in Abuja today Tuesday, January 5 that there has been a 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff.
The statement reads; “The attention of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (“the Commission”) has been drawn to publications in the print and electronic media misinforming electricity consumers that the Commission has approved a 50% increase in electricity tariffs.
“The Commission hereby state unequivocally that NO approval has been granted fora 50% tariff increase in the Tariff Order for electricity distribution companies which took effect on January 1, 2021.
“On the contrary, the tariff for customers on service bands D & E (customers being served less than an average of 12hrs of supply per day over a period of one month) remains frozen and subsidised in line with the policy direction of the Federal Government.
“In compliance with the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPRSA) and the nation’s tariff methodology for biannual minor review, the rates for service bands A, B, C, D and E have been adjusted by NGN2.00 to NGN4.00 per kWhr to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in foreign exchange rates.
“In the light of strong public interest on this matter, the media is hereby requested to retract their earlier publications misinforming electricity consumers nationwide about a purported 50% increase in electricity tariffs.
“The Commission remains committed to protecting electricity consumers from failure to deliver on committed service levels under the service-based tariff regime.
“Any customer that has been impacted by any rate increases beyond the above provision of the tariff Order should report to the Commission at customer.complaints@nerc.gov.ng.”
