The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu appeared before the Senate Committee on Power on Monday, 29 April 2024, for a one-day investigative hearing regarding the necessity of stopping eleven successor electricity distribution companies’ proposed increases in electricity tariff in light of Nigeria’s dire economic circumstances.

The committee’s Chairman, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, discussed how customers were moved from the old residential (R1, R2, R3), commercial (C1, C2), and demand (D1, D2) customer classes to various bands during the meeting.

Abaribe asked whether the band classification complied with the law. Citing a clause in the act that emphasized the requirement for non-discriminatory distribution, he further questioned how the parameters distinguish between regions and areas.

NERC’s recent increase in the cost of power for customers in the Band A category has had a significant impact. The commission raised the tariff for Band A consumers from N68/KWh to N225/kWh.

This means that Band A subscribers, who receive electricity for 20–24 hours per day, are now paying significantly more for their power.

Read Also: Edo Governor Obaseki Approves N70,000 New Minimum Wage