July 20, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives, on Thursday, urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to stop the planned increase in electricity tariffs by Distribution Companies (DISCOS) in Nigeria.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved at plenary by Aliyu Sani Madaki, an NNPP member representing Dala Federal Constituency of Kano State.
Madaki recalled that DISCOS recently alerted customers of a planned electricity tariff hike hinged on the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
Madaki noted that the circular issued by DISCOS stated that effective July 1, 2023, there would be an upward review of the electricity tariff influenced by fluctuating rates.
The lawmaker said under the MYTO, 2022 guidelines, the previous exchange rate of N441/$1 may be revised to approximately N750/$1, which would have an impact on the tariffs associated with electricity consumption.
“Under the planned hike, consumers within ‘B’ and ‘C’ with supply hours ranging from 12-16 hours per day will pay N100 per KWh, while Bands ‘A’ with 20 hours and above and ‘B’ with 16-20 hours, would experience comparatively higher tariffs, that is, for customers with a prepaid metre, whereas, for those on post-rand (estimated) billing, a significant increment is expected to be higher.
“The proposed increase is coming despite the inability of the operators to meet the threshold of supplying at least 5,000 megawatts per year after signing the contract with the NERC.
“Believed that it is most inappropriate and insensitive to come up with a price increase of such magnitude at this time when many Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the increase in petrol prices.
“Worried that at this point in time, the proposed increment of electricity tariff by the DISCOs is not in the best interest of the average Nigerian Citizen, neither is it for the common good of the citizenry,” he said, adding that the proposed increment is an exploitation of the common citizen, which is not in line with Section 17 (2) (d) of the Constitution, which states that the “exploitation of human resources in any form whatsoever for reasons other than the good of community should be prevented.”
Ruling on the motion after intense debate and a loud voice vote in its support, the House urged the management of NERC not to approve any increase in electricity tariff in Nigeria.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, mandated the Committee on Power (when constituted) to interface with NERC with a view to finding a common ground to addressing the proposed hike in the interest of Nigerians.
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