Electricity consumers decry increase in tariff, say hike unjustifiable

Electricity consumers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have decried the increase in tariff by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCOs).

According to them, the increase is unjustifiable.

The consumers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, said that DisCos had  increased tariff payable for power across the country without notification.

According to them, the increase in electricity tariff is unjustified, given the unreliable, and epileptic power supply across the country.

“Millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness in spite of the huge amount of money so far invested by governments as well as  bailouts to electricity companies,’’ they said.

The consumers said that it annoying that the increase in tariff was not announced, adding that you only discover that there was an increase when you recharge your meter.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in its Multi-Year Tariff Order, provides a 15-year tariff plan for the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry with limited minor reviews each year.

It states that the 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.

There had been public outcry that the privitasation of the power sector had not yielded positive result and called for a mid-term review of the process or total reversal.