NERC Denies 50% Increase in Electricity Tariff

The management of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has denied reports that there has been a 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff.

NERC’s Head of Public Affairs, Micheal Faloseyi, denied the report in a statement released in Abuja today Tuesday, January 5.

According to Faloseyi, rates for service bands have been adjusted by NGN2.00 to NGN4.00 per kWhr.

The statement reads

“The attention of 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 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.

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.

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 [email protected]”