NERC Clarifies Purported 50% Increase In Electricity Tariff

The Nigerian electricity regulatory commission (NERC) has refuted reports making the rounds that it has approved a 50% hike in electricity tariff.

Ekohotblog had reported earlier that the commission had announced a new tariff regime which its directed Electricity Distribution companies (DisCos) to compel their customers to comply with.

According to a revised Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) from the commission dated December 30, the new tariff regime will take effect from 1st of January 2020.

But in a statement released shortly after news of the increment went viral, the commission said it did not give approval for 50% tariff increase in tariff order to the DisCos.

It averred that the report of the 50% increase in electricity tariffs was misinforming.

The statement read “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 a 50% tariff increase in the Tariff Order for electricity distribution companies which took effect on January 1, 2021″

It disclosed that 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 FG.

“In compliance with the provisions of the EPSR Act 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 & movement in forex” the statement added

The Commission reaffirms its commitment to ensuring electricity consumers are not affected by “failure to deliver on committed service levels under the service-based tariff regime”

It, however, enjoined customer who has been affected by any rate increases beyond the aforementioned tariff Order to report to the Commission at customer.complaints@nerc.gov.ng