Coronavirus: Nigerians Will Get Free Electricity For Two Months

For the period of the coronavirus pandemic, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have promised to supply electricity to their consumers free of charge for two months

The promise was contained in a statement issued by the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan.

He said the gesture by the companies, which comes in the form of a “two-month rebate of free electricity to their customers nationwide” was in alignment with the federal government’s effort to assuage the pain on the people as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Oduntan said the decision was in recognition of the challenging effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the economic and daily lives of the customers.

Mr Oduntan, who is also the spokesperson for the DisCos, said details of the implementation will be made public later.

“We are also completely aligned with the plans to ensure palliative measures, including free electricity supply to all Nigerians for two months, to make life easier, during the lockdown period, details of implementation to come soon,” the official said.

Last week, the House of Representatives called for the supply of free electricity to Nigerians for two months as part of measures to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The House said it was considering a second stimulus bill that will provide Nigerians with free electricity supply for two months.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the call at a meeting between the National Assembly leadership and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmad, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, among others.
The Nigerian government had imposed a lockdown on Lagos, Abuja and Ogun while many other state governments have also imposed a movement ban on residents, to check the spread of the disease.