The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured that customers who do not currently have access to 20 hours of electricity will not be subjected to the new tariff.
Speaking during a one-day investigative hearing before the Senate Committee on Power on Monday, the minister emphasized the need to halt the proposed electricity tariff hike by eleven successor electricity distribution companies, citing the harsh economic realities in Nigeria.
The Minister highlighted that the government had implemented a new policy to alleviate the challenges faced by the struggling electricity sector, reassuring Nigerians that the difficulties would be temporary.
This clarification comes amid the ongoing concerns of electricity consumers grappling with the recent tariff hikes imposed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Furthermore, the Minister mentioned that if the tariff remained unchanged, the Federal Government would allocate ₦2.9 trillion to subsidize electricity expenses this year.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the issues within the sector and emphasized the introduction of the new policy as a crucial measure to salvage the situation.
The development follows NERC’s recent tariff hike for Band A consumers, which increased their tariff from ₦68/KWh to ₦225/KWh.
Band A customers receive 20-24 hours of electricity daily, while Band B subscribers enjoy 16-20 hours, and Band C customers receive 12-16 hours daily.