5th January, 2021
Nigerians on social media are currently lambasting President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration over another hike in electricity tariff.
The new tariff regime is expected to take effect from the 1st of January and to be complied with by customers of the 11 electricity Distribution Companies.
According to NERC, the 14.9% inflation rate rise in November 2020, foreign exchange of N379.4/$1 as of December 29, 2020, available generation capacity, US inflation rate of 1.22% and the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) of the power firms resulted in the new tariff.
The last tariff hike by the government almost led to the shutdown of the country by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.
However, the management of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said there is no 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff.
This was made known by NERC’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Micheal Faloseyi, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
Faloseyi spoke against the backdrop in some quarters that electricity tariff had been increased by 50 per cent.
The recent development has stirred reactions from Nigerians who criticised Buhari’s government and accused it of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians especially at a time when the country’s economy is not stable.
Some called for a reversal of the hike, adding that Nigerians were already suffering due to the pandemic.
https://twitter.com/ayemojubar/status/1346406738040393729?s=20
https://twitter.com/MrOdanz/status/1346481802475499521?s=20
Anyway, Sai Buhari. If they increase electricity tariff by 600%, I can still afford it. Even if I can't afford it, I will still manage somehow and come pretend all is well on Twitter. Na all of us dey live inside this oven.
— Kelvin Odanz (@MrOdanz) January 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/emmaikumeh/status/1346395352572821504?s=20
https://twitter.com/Hailfinger1/status/1346431302938066945?s=20
https://twitter.com/OmoKiikan/status/1346490610677645312?s=20
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved an increase in electricity tariff across the country the new tariff took effect from January 1.
No increment in workers salaries, standard of living is getting lower, but they're increasing fuel & electricity tariff.— Uncle Ajala (@UNCLE_AJALA) January 5, 2021
Electric Power Sector Act 2005& post-privatization of NEPA is a big problem for us as we have another electricity tariff increase. We need to sit down to find a way out of this issue & not to send a wrong signal to foreign investors that their investments are not protected
— Woye (@woye1) January 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/zuwerah_/status/1346396873259708416?s=20
I just don’t even know what to say again but this new 50% electricity tariff increment doesn’t make any sense. Increase electricity tariff twice in a pandemic! Who cursed us?
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) January 5, 2021
So what exactly is the justification for this new electricity tariff increment? Was it not September or October 2020 that we witnessed the last increment?
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) January 5, 2021