Electricity distribution companies have quietly increased the tariff payable by power consumers across the country.
Although most of the Discos did not make this public, electricity users have kicked against the move, describing it as “a perfect robbery” amidst the harsh economic realities in Nigeria currently.
Reacting to the price hike, a resident of a Lagos highbrow estate, Mr. Oye Sola, lamented the increase.
He said, “Electricity tariff is now N72.2 per unit. Another price hike from N66; I suspect they are going to N100. A higher price for poorer services.
Another customer of Ikeja Disco identified as Ola Busari said, “They are just milking us. This is a perfect robbery. Discos need to be checked.
Another Lagos resident named Olojede said, “They increased prices without informing us. There was no official communication to us as our estate representatives.” However, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, in its Multi-Year Tariff Order, provides a 15-year tariff path for the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry with limited minor reviews each year.
It states that reviews are in the light of changes in a limited number of parameters such as inflation, interest rates, exchange rates and generation capacity, and major reviews every five years when all of the inputs were reviewed with the stakeholders.
NERC, however, did not announce the latest hike in tariff, which a power distribution company attributed to the regulator on Wednesday.