Business
Electricity Consumers Express Divergent Views On New Tariff
Some stakeholders have ex
pressed divergent views on plans by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to review electricity tariff from Feb.1.
While some told newwsmen in Lagos that the new tariff regime was good, others said it should be suspended until all consumers were metered.
It was gathered that NERC, on Jan. 6, said the takeoff date of the new electricity tariff regime (MYTO 2015) still remained Feb. 1.
According to reports, NERC, had on Dec.20, 2015, increased the cost of power consumption by an average of N9 per unit for all classes of consumers.
It also abolished the contentious fixed charge for all electricity consumers.
The Chairman, Citizens Access to Electricity Initiatives (CATEIN), Mr Abdul-Salam Fashola, urged NERC to stop any increment and have audience with the stakeholders in power sector.
Fashola said that consumers on estimated billings, who were paying outrageous amounts as bills, would now be expected to pay more.
He advised that prepaid meters should be given to all consumers and that power supply should be regular before the commencement of new tariff regime.
The Chairman, Lekki Jakande Roundabout Estates Association, Mr Patrick Samuel, commended the stoppage of fixed charge, saying that it was a good decision.
“The Discos have been using fixed charge to extort consumers on the pretence that meters are not available or they fix high rates for meters which consumers can’t afford.
“Yet consumers don’t ever get the power even with the fixed charges.
“It was expected that on the purchase of the Discos by private investors, knowing that over 65 per cent of consumers do not pay bills, the Discos should have done mass importation of affordable meters and install all their consumers.
“Rather than investing in what they bought and building on them, they are more into collecting loans for other purposes without investing into improved services,” he said.
Samuel said he was against any increment, urging the new investors to put their places in order and give quality services before the government would give them right to increase tariff.
“That will just be a rip off; it’s too early for that.
“ Let them give good services to justify any increase in tariff because I can assure you that if they increase the tariffs now, half of what they rake in will not go into power,” he said.
The Managing Director, Energy Solutions Ltd., Mr Yomi Kolawole, said that the proposed increment would enable the Discos to replace their old equipment.
He advised consumers to cooperate with the current administration by allowing the new tariff to commence.
Kolawole, however, commended NERC for the removal of the fixed charge since the monthly charges could not be justified.
The Chairman, Iponri Housing Estate Housing Residents’ Association, said that the proposed increment was good if power supply would be available.
“If we should consider the amount of money spent to fuel our generator on daily basis, we will see that it is better to pay more on regular electricity supply than to pay what we are paying and no light.
‘We should give the current government the benefit of the doubt by allowing the new tariff regime to commence.
“I am aware of many good jobs done by the new minister of power, land and housing when he was governor of Lagos State and I believe that he is in power sector to transform the sector,” he said.
He also commended NERC for removing fixed charge from the monthly billing, adding that the Discos were using the rate to exploit their consumers.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh said this at the 8th annual induction and conference of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN).
He explained that abandoned projects continue to lock up public funds that could have been used for infrastructure development, industrial growth, job creation and essential social services.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, he said the impact goes beyond financial losses, as incomplete projects affect communities and limit access to important public services
He cited examples of that remain unopened, schools that cannot accommodate students, roads that fail to connect communities and electricity projects that have not delivered their intended benefits.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, also identified poor project management as a major challenge affecting development in Nigeria.
He revealed that the institute had developed a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which has received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC). The programme is expected to enable universities to offer project management as a bachelor’s degree.
Mbadiwe further referenced findings by the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee, which identified 11,886 ongoing federal capital projects in 2011, with an estimated financial commitment of ?7.78 trillion.
He noted that inadequate planning, supervision, accountability and implementation were among the factors contributing to the abandonment of projects across the country.
The minister called for stronger project management structures across ministries, departments and agencies to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had introduced a 90-day implementation reporting cycle to strengthen transparency and monitor the progress of government programmes.
Ikenga said the company remained committed to Nigeria’s power sector and would continue investing in its operations despite the challenging business environment.
He spoke in Lagos at the third edition of the Shell Power Conference, themed “Powering Nigeria’s Progress: Turning Ambition and Action into Sustainable Impact”.
The Transcorp Power chief said the company would sustain electricity generation, invest in its facilities and deliver value to shareholders.
“Transcorp Power is a long-term player, not a short-term player. This year has been challenging, but what is important is getting power to schools, hospitals and businesses to power progress,” he said.
Ikenga said the company’s focus on operational efficiency and investment had strengthened its contribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply.
He disclosed that since acquiring the Ughelli Power Plant in Delta State in 2013, Transcorp Power had quadrupled its available generation capacity.
He also said the company became the first privatised power generation firm to receive a post-privatisation discharge certificate after fulfilling all its privatisation obligations.
The company’s unaudited results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, showed a profit before tax of N83.1 billion, while its profit-before-tax margin rose to 31.2 per cent from 29.6 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Its total assets rose to 11.7 per cent amounting to N629.5 billion, while shareholders’ funds grew 8.9 per cent to N199.8 billion. Cash and cash equivalents also rose to N10.3 billion, supported by improved collections.
On the company’s contribution to grid stability, Ikenga said Transcorp Power’s black-start capability enabled it to restart operations without relying on electricity from the national grid.
He explained that the capability allowed the company to support power restoration following grid disturbances, helping to restore electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries.
Ikenga noted that Nigeria had an installed electricity generation capacity of about 13,000 megawatts, with an estimated potential of 50 gigawatts, adding that realising the potential would require effective coordination across the entire value chain.
“Everything in the value chain has to work,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, regulators and private-sector operators, alongside increased private investment, to build a sustainable electricity market.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press Secretary, Maryann Duke.
The statement said Oyedele pointed to “improved digital systems, including electronic invoicing, as a key driver behind a record of N33tn in government revenue collected between January and October 2026.”
The minister said the performance demonstrated the potential of technology to improve revenue administration, strengthen compliance and increase efficiency across government institutions.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Digital Sovereignty and Ethics: Guarding the Economy for the Next Generation,’ Oyedele warned that Nigeria risked losing substantial economic opportunities if it continued to depend heavily on foreign digital infrastructure.
Citing Nigerian Communications Commission figures, he disclosed that the country recorded more than 157 million active internet subscriptions as of May 2026.
He explained that these connections generated significant volumes of information through financial transactions, healthcare, education and taxation.
However, citing estimates from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Oyedele said as much as 90 per cent of the country’s data was hosted abroad.
According to him, the situation has implications for foreign exchange expenditure, employment opportunities, technological skills and Nigeria’s control over information generated by its citizens.
He compared the country’s reliance on foreign digital infrastructure with its historical dependence on imported refined petroleum products, warning against a situation where Nigerian data would be processed abroad and the resulting services sold back to domestic users.
The minister consequently advocated greater investment in local data infrastructure, technical expertise, cybersecurity and predictable regulations to enable Nigerian businesses to capture more value from the digital economy.
He clarified that digital sovereignty should not translate into technological isolation but should strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate competitively in international markets.
Addressing graduating students, Oyedele urged young Nigerians to become developers of technological solutions rather than remain primarily consumers of products created elsewhere.
He identified artificial intelligence as both a disruptive force and an opportunity for innovation, advising graduates to acquire relevant digital skills alongside critical thinking, creativity, sound judgement and integrity.
The minister also cautioned against irresponsible online behaviour, explaining that digital footprints increasingly influence employment prospects, commercial relationships and professional credibility.
Oyedele outlined five priorities for graduates, including continuous learning, value creation, integrity, responsible digital citizenship and active participation in national development.
“Your degree is evidence of what you have learned. Your competence will demonstrate what you can do. Your character will reveal who you truly are,” he told the graduating students.
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