The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved an increase in electricity tariff targeting Band A electricity consumers in the country.
Band A electricity consumers utilise at least 20 hours of electricity supply daily.
Vice Chair Musliu Oseni announced this adjustment during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, stating that the increase will demand the customers to pay N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66.
He said that customers in Band A represent 15 per cent of the country’s 12 million electricity customers, adding that the commission had also downgraded some customers in Band A to Band B due to the non-fulfilment of the required hours of electricity provided by the electricity distribution company.
We currently have 800 feeders that are categorised as Band A, but it will now be reduced to under 500. This means that 17 per cent now qualify as Band A feeders. These feeders only service 15 per cent of total electricity customers connected to the feeders.
“The commission has issued an order titled April supplementary order, and the commission allows 235 kilowatts per hour,” he said, adding that the tariff review will not affect customers on the other bands.
This announcement brings closure to months of speculation regarding the government’s plans to address the removal of subsidies on electricity tariffs.