Amid outrage that the federal government approved a fresh hike in electricity tariff, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has refuted the report of a 50% increment.

Our source gathered that the commission in a series of tweets via its Twitter handle @NERCNG on Tuesday, January 5, said no approval was granted for such an increase that took effect on January 1, 2021.

The commission further noted that no 50% increment was approved in the tariff order for electricity distribution companies.

The NERC explained that it only raised the kilowatt rates for service bands A, B, C, D, and E from N2 to N4 to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in forex.Electricity tariff: No 50% increase, we only raised kilowatt from N2 to N4, says NERC

NERC says it did not approve a 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff. Photo credit: George Osodi

Though both the federal government and labour unions once  temporarily agreed to subsidized the electricity tariff for three months following the massive outrage over the new tariff.

The resolution was reached at the end of a long meeting of the ad-hoc technical committee on electricity tariff between representatives of the federal government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

This was made known in a communique released by the minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, in a series of tweets via his Twitter account @fkeyamo on Monday, October 12, 2020.

In a related development, after sealing a deal with organised labour, the federal government on Thursday, October 29, 2020, said the collection of Service-Based Electricity Tariffs (SBT) will resume.

The federal government had suspended the new electricity tariff following a massive outrage capped by the partially aborted nationwide protest of the organised labours.This development was confirmed by Ahmad Zakari, the special adviser on infrastructure to President Muhammadu Buhari, during the 51st virtual Power Dialogue in Abuja, organised by Nigeria Electricity Hub.

Electricity consumers have reacted angrily to a report that the federal government approved a fresh hike in electricity tariff.

The report which emanated on Tuesday, January 5, stated that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved over 50% hike in electricity tariff payable by customers of the 11 distribution companies (Discos).

Nigerians cry out over fresh electricity tariff increase


However, the report has generated huge backlash from Nigerians who faulted the decision.

A check  on Facebook showed that majority of comments were opposed to the increase.

A section of the commentators wondered why the government would increase electricity tariffs twice in less than six months.

Others who reacted to the issue said they would take advantage of solar power to reduce the amount they spend on electricity.