The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says the tariff increase will only affect customers enjoying a 20-hour power supply across the country.

Other customers are in Bands B, C and D.

Musliu Oseni, vice-chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), said this at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to him, the commission has approved the increase in the electricity tariff paid by Band A customers from N68/KWh to N225KWh, adding that the increase will not affect customers in Bands B and C.

Mr Oseni said the increase would only affect about 15 per cent of electricity consumers who have been proven to enjoy 20 hours of power supply daily.

He said other electricity customers not affected by the rate review would not be neglected as they would still continue to get service.

The vice-chairman said that the commission had also downgraded some customers from Band A to B due to the non-fulfilment of the required electricity hours provided by the electricity distribution company.

“We currently have over 800 feeders that are categorised as Band A, but it will now be reduced to under 500. This means that 17 per cent of the feeder now qualifies as Band A.

“The commission using technology discovered that many of the feeders that the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) currently brandish as Band A are not meeting the required service and as such.

“The feeders were ordered to be downgraded immediately as a way of protecting consumers,” he said.

Mr Oseni said customers hitherto classified as Band A customers would not be affected by the rate review.

He explained that DisCos had been mandated to set up rapid response teams where the feeders are located as part of enforcement mechanisms to ensure that areas affected by the review get the 20-hour supply.

“This is to ensure that the customers can have access to the DisCos. They have also been mandated to publish the contact of the rapid response team where the customers are located.

“Failure to meet the commitment for seven consecutive days, the feeder will be downgraded immediately to the service level the DisCos is able to provide electricity to the feeder,” he said.

Mr Oseni said if a DisCo fails to meet the commitment for two days by the third day at 10:00 a.m., the company must also publish an explanation via bulk SMS, contacting the affected consumers on the feeder.

“They should explain why they could not meet the service for the two days and also submit the explanation to the commission,” he said. 

(NAN)