News

NERC Denies Increase In Electricity Tariff As Consumers Kick

Published

6 years ago

January 6, 2020

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says no tariff increase has been approved by the commission yet.
Mr Usman Arabi, General Manager, Public Affairs (NERC) made the clarification in a statement issued on the agency’s website, obtained bynewsmen in Lagos yesterday.
Arabi said:” The attention of the NERC has been drawn to the publication in several electronic and print media that end-user electricity tariffs have been increased following the approval of the minor review (2016 – 2018) of the 2015 Multi-Year Tariff Order on Aug. 21, 2019.
“We wish to provide guidance that the minor review implemented by the commission was a retrospective adjustment of the tariff regime released in 2015.
“This is to account for changes in macro-economic indices for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 thus providing certainty about revenue shortfall that may have arisen due to the differential between tariffs approved by the regulator and actual end-user tariffs.
“The commission, therefore, wish to notify the general public that no tariff increase has been approved by the Commission vide the order.”
He said, however NERC, in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities enshrined under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, would continue to undertake periodic reviews of electricity tariffs in accordance with the prevailing tariff methodology.
According to him, in all instances of such reviews and rule making, the commission will widely consult with stakeholders and final decision will take due regard of all contributions.
However, electricity consumer groups in the country have kicked against increasing tariff for end-user customers.
The groups, Energy Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Initiative and the All Electricity Consumer Protection Forum told newsmen in Lagos that increment in electricity tariff was unjustified based on present realities.
Mr Sural Fadairo, National President, Energy Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Initiative, noted that increasing the cost of electricity was not the panacea to Nigeria’s energy crisis.
“If they want to increase tariff because the Distribution Companies are under remitting due to debts by consumers, that will not solve the problem.
“If people are refusing to pay now because they are disputing their bills will they now pay if it is further increased? “What they need to do is to meter all electricity customers, so that we can end the issue of estimated billing.
“So, from the consumer point of view, we are totally against any increment because power generation and supply has not improved significantly in the country, “he said. Also, Mr Adeola Samuel-Ilori, National Coordinator, All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, said the increase was totally uncalled for in all ramifications.
He said: “The basis for such increase at this time can’t be justified in that consumers have not been metered and they still purchase transformers and other line materials by themselves with attendant extortion via estimated billings. “ All these are not taken into consideration and extensively dealt with before contemplating tariff increase”.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has carpeted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government over what it termed “astronomical rise” in the tariffs payable for electricity supply across the country.
HURIWA, a frontline rights advocacy claimed that the Buhari-led government was working “day and night” to unleash devastating economic strangulation through unsustainable reviewed electricity power tariffs on Nigerians most of whom are unemployed, hungry, sick and poor.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the rights group warned that the multiplier effect would be felt immediately due to spike in the costs of living.
The group said the focus of the Federal government in the beginning phase of the year should not be to impose grave hardship on the populace just coming out of the seasonal festivity of Christmas and New Year but any good government should be more focused on how quality education can be delivered to millions of the children of Nigerian suffering families that would be returning to schools in the next few days.
HURIWA said: “The Federal government should be focused in this New Year on how to improve health care and on how to curb the internal corruption that has destroyed the so called schools feeding programme instead of the Federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari working day and night to unleash devastating economic strangulation through unsustainable reviewed electricity power tariffs on millions of Nigerians most of whom are unemployed, hungry, sick and poor.
“President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should be focused on restoring security of lives and property which is the primary duty of government and for which it has failed to discharge instead of rushing to introduce the wicked policy of Electricity power hike in January of a fresh DECADE.”
HURIWA recalled that the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have the mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to effect the tariff increase from April just as these are as follows: Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company and Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
HURIWA specifically gathered that consequent upon the NERC directive, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) residential customers R3 will now pay N47.09 per unit as against the current N27.20, while Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) customers in R3 category will pay N36.92 per unit instead of N26.50. Commercial customers C3 category will start paying N38.14 per unit instead of N24.63 and industrial customers of the IKEDC D3 category who are currently paying N25.82 per unit will henceforth pay N35.85 per unit.
HURIWA recalled that by the hike, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company residential (R3) customers who currently pay N27.11 per unit will start paying N48.12 per unit just as the National Electricitu Regulatory Commission said the order was pursuant to Section 32 and 76 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act aimed at providing a cost reflective tariffs that ensures prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers.
However, disagreeing with the explanation offered by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission for the current hike, HURIWA said that the “decision by the Electricity regulator to capitulate to the Machiavellian type selfish hike demand by the private operators of the weak, incompetent and inefficient electricity power supply subsector was against public interest and therefore will endanger public good and should be voided or resisted if government fails to listen to the voices of the people.”
HURIWA reminded the president that the voices of the people is the voice of God and if he wants to get the pulse and the heartbeats of the real people, then he the President should disguise himself as a commoner and drive to one of the rural markets in any part of the Federation so he can dissect properly the monumental dimension of mass poverty afflicting millions of Nigerians.
“HURIWA believes that the import of any public policy must be grounded on the utilitarian satisfaction of the greatest percentage of the population of the good people of Nigeria. Any public policy churned out specifically to enrich some privileged elitist class to the detriment of millions of the good people of Nigeria hasn’t met the constitutional threshold because of the centrality of the need for all government’s actions, policies and projects to be people centred and to benefit public good. The astronomical hike in the purchasing prices of the virtually non available and the erratic electricity power to less than 40% of the Nigerian population is directly offensive to the overall public good. In section 14 of the Nigerian Constitution the Federal Republic of Nigeria is legally created to be patterned as a State based on the Principles of democracy and Social Justice. Subsection 2(a) of section 14 provides that ‘Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this constitution derives all its powers and authority. Just as subsection 2(b) of section 14 states that ‘the security and Welfare Of The People Shall Be The Primary Purpose Of Government.
“HURIWA believes that this is the most reckless policy to be imposed wickedly on the Nigerian people who are currently going through some of the most primitive and painful economic adversity in about 40 years. For a federal government to introduce such a callous tariff hike in the beginning of a new year either shows the government officials as Shylock Machiavellian and mean hearted selfish politicians who are insensitive and irresponsible to such an extent that the only policy they have brought UP to wish Nigerians a happy New year is to impose a strange but strangulating electricity tariffs without first and foremost ensuring that the distribution companies in the power electricity sector who got licences to distribute ELECTRICITY carry out their businesses in compliance with best global practices. The distribution companies lack transparency and acountability just as they are wayward in terms of corporate social responsibility to the people of Nigeria.
“These DISCOS are known to have been lavishly gifted with billions of Naira of Public fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria to improve their services but in the last five years it is evident that even the few Nigerian families who enjoy intermittent electricity power supplies are victims of price extortion through irregular billing methods without proper metering standards. Most electricity customers still don’t have meters to be able to accurately reconcile their consumption. Why is the Federal government through the National Electricity Regulatory Commission not concerned about decisively tackling the challenges associated with metering by the DISCOS rather than being so unnecessarily fixated with over exposing the marginalised electricity power consumers to untold hardships and further impoverishment in the hands of the profiteers masquerading about as licenced Distributors of Electricity power to NIGERIANS? Also why the hurry to increase the tariffs for services that are poor and inefficient? The Federal government must be compelled to reverse this anti people policy that will only increase mass poverty and will not in any away address the disturbing phenomenon of mass unemployment that became worst under the current Federal administration since the last 5 years?. Nigeria had only a year ago become the World’s capital of poverty with over 90 million people being absolutely poor. So how will they generate the money to pay these extremely hifh costs of electricity power supply which is so few and far between.”

News

Cleric Harps On Significance Of Thanksgiving

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The General Overseer of Firstlove Assembly and renowned preacher, Senior Pastor Simeon Afolabi, has highlighted the significance of thanksgiving, saying it remains one of the best ways to show gratitude to God, and also one of the ways to please God Almighty.
Pastor Afolabi gave the indication as the guest preacher at the annual thanksgiving celebration of Holy Hills Church in Port Harcourt last Saturday.
The 2025 Holy Hills Church annual thanksgiving, tagged, “Thanksgiving of God’s Mercies”, witnessed the gathering of christian faithful to celebrate God’s unwavering love and mercies despite insurmountable challenges.
The General Overseer said the essence of thanking God cannot be over-emphasised, considering the good things He is doing for mankind.
The renowned man of God said one of the ways to please God is not to take His act for granted but to thank Him for everything He has done.
He urged churches to endeavour to make thanksgiving their priority so as to attract more blessings from God.
Pastor Afolabi noted that gratitude is a way of God, hence, “it behooves us to do it every moment of the day,” and opined that the Holy Hills Church was on the right track by recognising God’s mercy and kindness through thanksgiving.
In his remarks, the General Overseer of Holy Hills Church and Chief Host, Pastor Sunny Ikonwa said the aim of the annual thanks- giving celebration was to thank God for His mercy, saying, the annual event which is like Christ Mass to his members could best be described as God’s faithfulness upon their lives.
He said the annuall meeting remains God’s project which the church attaches great importance to and ensures its success every year.
He noted that the church under him will continue to sensitise people and preach to them on the way of peace.
The cleric recalled that the church that started under a palm tree has made tremendous improvement by God’s grace.
Pastor Ikonwa said his mission which is doing what pleases his Maker remains his watchword.
The Holy Hills Church pastor said the mercy of God has been able to sustain his people, saying, the prayer of a Christian goes a long way to rekindle the heart of God, stressing that it is for this singular reason that the church had come in His presence with something measurable to it, as a way of showing appreciation.
According to him, anything big starts small just as his church has done.
He said to the glory of God, today, the church has been growing in His direction.
He, therefore, admonished Christians to have hope and faith in God in the face difficulties, urging the government to always put the interest of the people first, as it has everything it takes to make life meaningful for the citizenry.
Pastor Ikonwa noted that government should be able to implement policies geared towards bettering the lives of the people.
The climax of the programme was the cutting of the thanksgiving cake by the General Overseer and his wife .Various organs of the church also made special presentations to God.

News

Police Confirm Death Of Two Officers In Imo, Finger IPOB

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Police Force has indicted the dreaded group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the killing of two police officers, and injuring of one civilian who was rushed to the hospital after sustaining bullet wounds in a coordinated attack in Imo State on June 11, 2024.
The State Police Command, had in a press release accused the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) of being responsible for the killing of the two police officers and injuring of a civilian at Akabo community in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo State.
According to the police, the incident was perpetrated in the early hours of the day by the hoodlums. They attacked one Christian Ama Chukwu in front of his shop at 79, Umudike, Umunnemoche Abazu, Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, engaged them in a prolonged gun battle and ultimately repelled the attack. Unfortunately, two police personnel lost their lives in the attack. An unnamed civilian was also critically injured in the attack,and he sustained serious injuries in the course of the shootout.
Some residents who spoke with newsmen said the hoodlums were first noticed alighting from their vehicles and harassing residents for not participating in the seat-in or seat-at-home protests. They said the situation got out of control when they opened fire on an approaching police vehicle.
Another eye witness, IfechukwuOpara, said the gunmen then moved around the village in the community,shooting sporadically to aid their escape. “They were driving around the community in a reckless manner while shooting in the air to scare people away before they finally left”, he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye had confirmed the incident.
He described it as “a senseless, unwarranted and unprovoked act of violence which must not go unsolved.”
According to him, the police would not leave any stone unturned in the quest to arrest and prosecute the criminals.
Subsequently, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, had mobilised a Police Tactical Squad of the Command to track down the killers, and said, “As I am talking to you now, an intense operation is currently going on in Ikeduru Local Government Area with a view to apprehending the hoodlums responsible for the attack.”
DSP Okoye noted that killings were another painful and stark reminder of the sacrifices police officers make in the commitment to secure the country.

News

‘Tinubu Committed To Environmental Sustainability, Benefits To Ogoni’

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

As the Ogoni cleanup programme being implemented by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) continues to record significant milestones across thematic areas, the Federal Government says such gestures further demonstrate President Bola Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to environmental sustainability and ensuring the Project brings benefits to Ogoni people.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who made this assertion during the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water schemes in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, in line with HYPREP’s mandate to provide potable water to Ogoniland, said the provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life.
The latest commissioning brings the water stations to 16, providing access to potable water to 45 Ogoni communities , a development the Minister explains as part of President Tinubu’s commitment to peace ,environmental justice and socio-economic empowerment in Ogoniland, a beacon of hope for communities long affected by environmental degradation.
Lawal noted that the latest commissioning is restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource .
‘’The provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life. It also signifies a renewed commitment to ensuring that the people of Ogoniland reap the full benefits of environmental remediation efforts.We
will continue to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean, safe and sustainable drinking water. With this initiative, we are not just commissioning infrastructure but restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource”, he said.
While commending the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, development partners, stakeholders and traditional rulers, among others for their relentless commitment towards the actualisation of these projects, he urged communities to protect and take ownership of the projects, emphasising that their longevity and effectiveness depend on their collective efforts of maintaining and protecting them for posterity.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey maintained that the Project remains resolute in its resolve to ensure that it completes and delivers all projects initiated within the time frame for the use and benefit of Ogoni people in line with the directives of the Governing Council and under the leadership of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
To achieve this, Zabbey explained that “We
continue to work closely with community leaders, youth and women, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure solutions are identified and implementation continues smoothly.
‘’We remain guided by the principle of partnership, dialogue, transparency and accountability, knowing that sustainable progress is best achieved through collaboration and mutual understanding. That is the hallmark of HYPREP,” he said.
He appealed to the people to continue to reinforce peace and understanding, using dialogue as a vital tool for resolving disputes, especially around project sites and within communities, noting that the concurrent implementation of over 100 projects across Ogoniland reflects the seriousness and dedication of HYPREP, a momentum that must be sustained through mutual trust and collaboration.
For the Project Coordinator, the event was an ideal opportunity to provide a project status update to Ogoni people, as he excitedly announced the milestone achievements recorded so far to include environmental remediation-94 percent completion in Phase 1 of mangrove restoration; shoreline at 67.1percent; Phase 2 land remediation at 36.55 percent; potable water-14 completed water facilities inaugurated, supplying potable water to 40 Ogoni communities, while the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities last Saturday increased the number of communities with access to clean and safe water to 45.
Other milestones are the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) at 92 percent complete and the processes of operationalising the Centre has begun with the just concluded colloquium, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing steadily with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations ongoing. The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is at 76.8 percent with 98.7 percent achieved in the Buan Cottage Hospital. The Ogoni public study being conducted by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); over 7,000 women and youths have benefited from various employment opportunities, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up skits, among other programmes.
Zabbey further hinted of the commencement of some demand-driven skills areas this quarter, which include cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, GIS and commercial diving.
In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dumnamene Deekor; Chairman,Great Green Wall, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, MrNwizug Gordon; representative of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development, MrIgoWeli; former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani; and former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya; all commended the Minister of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup programme.
Earlier, the Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on Mene Bua Kenwigbara, King D.Y Barile, at his palace, where the former was conferred a chieftaincy title of MeneAnua Le Maa 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom; and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP as Mene doo Letam 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom.

Also decorated were the Chairman of Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari.

Highpoints of the event were the formal commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities by the Minister and the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Tony Attach,represented by MrIgoWeli; the symbolic issuance of education support Items;and the visit to the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park for symbolic tree planting by the Minister; the Project Coordinator; BoT Chairman; Senator Abe; IgoWeli; Director General, NEASRA, Prof Innocent Barikor; and Zina Wiwa, the daughter of the legendary environmentalist; and the visit to the CEER.

In two years, the Minister of Environment, has visited Ogoniland five times to commission 16 water stations, supplying potable water to 45 Ogoni communities and ensuring that other projects get equal attention, a clear demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme in line with Priority 3, Deliverable 3 of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and driven under the visionary and passionate leadership of Prof NenibariniZabbey as Project Coordinator.

By: Donatus Ebi