Reps Ask NERC To Suspend Implementation Of New Electricity Tariff

During a plenary session on Tuesday, the House of Representatives requested the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend the implementation of the new tariff.

Gatekeepers News reports that the motion was passed following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, which was sponsored by Nkemkanma Kama, a Labour Party (LP) lawmaker from Enonyi state.

On April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.

The commission stated that customers under the category, who receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily, would begin to pay N225 per kilowatt (kW), starting from April 3 — up from N66.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, defended the tariff hike before the Senate Committee on Power on Monday.

Adelabu explained that the federal government could no longer afford to pay subsidies on power. He also stated that for the electricity sector to be revived, the government needs to spend about $10 billion annually in the next 10 years.

“This is because of the infrastructure requirement for the stability of the sector, but the government cannot afford that,” the minister had said.

According to Adelabu, investors are now showing interest in the electricity sector because of the increased electricity tariff for Band A customers.