Business
Electricity Consumers Seek Scrapping Of N750 Fixed Charge
Some Electricity Consumers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yestersday called for the scrapping of the monthly N750 fixed charge being charged by electricity distribution companies.
The consumers told newsmen that it would amount to exploitation if the companies continued to retain the charge when services were not delivered.
A businessman, Mr Chukwuemeka Echem, who described the charge as mere exploitation of electricity consumers in the country, said it should be abolished.
He said that it was out of place for consumers to pay the monthly fixed charge after paying the monthly bill.
“Why the N750 fixed charge when consumers will have to pay their monthly bills?”
A Kuje Area Council resident, Mr Prince Aduche, said that the regulatory body should stop the payment of fixed charge on electricity until power supply was stable in the country.
According to him, consumers should not be the ones to bear the operational cost of electricity distribution companies.
“Paying a fixed charge on electricity is like ripping one off. It is like stealing from you. We know we are not enjoying stable power supply in Nigeria.
“If the regulatory body knows what it is doing, it should scrap the fixed charge since Nigerians are not enjoying stable power supply,” he said.
A legal practitioner, Mr Mike Isibor, said that the fixed charge should be stopped because electricity consumers were not enjoying stable electricity supply.
According to him, the policy of 15 days of grace for electricity consumers was populist in nature and only meant to assuage consumers.
The 15-day policy of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) stipulates that electricity consumers without power supply for 15 consecutive days are not liable to pay the fixed tariff.
Isibor said that his area had not experienced continuous power failure for 15 days to benefit from the policy.
He noted that the 15 days should be reduced to protect consumers’ interest.
A civil servant, Mrs Maria Adelabu, said she was not benefiting from the 15 days policy as the fixed charge was still being reflected on her bill.
“We are not benefitting from it because we still pay even when there is no light for 15 days,” she said.
She noted that the only solution to the problem was to scrap the fixed charge policy.
Another civil servant, Miss Obi Chioma, said that in spite of several complaints to officials of the distribution company, she still paid the monthly fixed charge.
Chioma said that the regulatory body should create more awareness on the policy if it insisted on retaining it.
Flashback: National President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar (middle), with former National President of NUPPPPROW, Comrade Danjuma Papa Kunini (left) and representative of the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. D. Monyei, during the 14th national quadrennial delegates conference in Calabar, recently. Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with a firm, Sweetcrude Ltd., has announced detailed selection criteria for the inaugural “Champions of Nigerian Content Awards”, designed to honor outstanding contributions to local content development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The Tide learnt that the event, scheduled to hold 21st May, 2025, at the NCDMB’S content tower headquarters in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, will recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing Nigerian Content in 2024.
The Tide further gathered that the ceremony will coincide with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), which promises to spotlighting industry excellence and contributions to national economic transformation.
A statement by the Board’s Directorate of Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination says the event has 12 Award Categories, which include, “Nigerian Content Icon of the Year”, “Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award”, “Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Independent Upstream Operator of the year”.
Others are, “Nigerian Content Midstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content International Service Company of the year”, Nigerian Content Indigenous Service Company of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Innovator of the year”.
Also included are, “Nigerian Content Financial Services Provider of the year”, “Nigerian Content Media Organization of the year”, and “Women in Leadership Award for Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment”.
According to the NCDMB, the criteria for oil and gas operators will include key and empirical benchmarks such as Production output for crude oil and gas volumes, Compliance with Nigerian Content Plans (NCPs) and Nigerian Content Compliance Certificates (NCCCs).
Other criteria are adherence to NOGICD Act reporting requirements, such as submission of Nigerian Content Performance Reports and Employment & Training Plans.
The Board’s statement added that similar criteria will apply to financial institutions, media organizations, and individuals, ensuring a transparent and merit-based selection process.
“Winners for the Nigerian Content Icon of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Women in Leadership Award will also be selected based on measurable performance indicators.
“The Advisory Committee of Industry Titans will Oversee the process to uphold the prestige of awards. The Committee consist of distinguished experts set up to oversee nominations and validate winners”, the NCDMB said.
Members of the committee, according to the Board, include: Pioneer Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa; Secretary-General, African Petroleum Producers Organization, Dr. Omar Farouk; and former Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Mr. Woke Akinyosoye.
The Statement quoted the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, as emphasizing that the awards aim to becoming the oil and gas sector’s equivalent of the Oscars, celebrating genuine impact rather than mere participation.
“This recognition is reserved for those who have gone beyond compliance to drive tangible growth in Nigerian Content.
“With a focus on credibility, compliance, and measurable impact, the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards is poised to set a new standard for excellence in Nigeria’s energy sector”, the NCDMB Executive Scribe said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Nigeria’s apex Banking institution, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has declared that Federal Government’s debt servicing increased to N696billion in January 2025.
The CBN’s recently published Economic Report revealed a precarious fiscal position, which worsened in January 2025 as debt servicing obligations exceeded total retained revenue by a wide margin.
According to the report, the Federal Government’s debt servicing obligations for the month stood at N696.27bn, while total retained revenue amounted to only N483.47bn, indicating that debt service alone consumed about 144 per cent of all government earnings.
This development highlights the growing debt burden and dwindling fiscal space facing Africa’s largest economy.
According to the report, despite slight improvements in some revenue categories, the retained earnings were grossly inadequate to cover obligatory debt repayments, exposing the government’s continued reliance on borrowing to meet basic obligations.
The report further revealed that retained revenue in January 2025 only recorded a marginal 0.89 per cent increase when compared with the N479.21bn generated in the corresponding month of 2024.
”FGN retained revenue declined in the review period, owing largely to lower receipts from Federal Government Independent Revenue and FGN’s share of exchange gain.
“At N0.48tn, provisional FGN retained revenue was 69.19 and 70.40 per cent below the levels recorded in the preceding period and monthly target, respectively”, it revealed.
While this points to stagnation rather than growth, the marginal rise was wiped out by the overwhelming debt service obligations.
The retained revenue components showed that the Federation Account contributed N167.69bn, while the VAT Pool Account delivered N90.73bn.
By: Corlins Walter
The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears owed workers in the Federal Civil Service.
A statement issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), which was signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, said the outstanding arrears will be paid in instalments, with workers set to receive N35,000 per month for five months.
It clarified that the first tranche of the wage award arrears would be released immediately after the April salary payment.
“The wage award arrears was not paid with the April 2025 salary; it will come immediately after the salary is paid”, the statement read.
The Federal Government had earlier disbursed wage awards to federal workers for five months as part of efforts to cushion the impact of economic reforms. However, five months’ arrears remained unpaid.
The AGF office further reiterated the government’s commitment to fully implementing all policies and agreements relating to staff remuneration and welfare, noting that such efforts were geared towards enhancing productivity and operational efficiency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced in 2023 as a palliative measure to support workers following the removal of the petrol subsidy and other economic adjustments.
In January this year, the Federal Government assured workers that it would clear the arrears of the N35,000 wage award, just as it also said the government had resumed the payment of the wage award.
The government also reiterated its commitment to addressing issues in the National Minimum Wage agreement reached with the Organised Labour in 2023.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had disclosed the government’s commitment towards implementing agreements with trade unions during separate meetings with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress and Congress of University Academics, in Abuja.
The Nigeria Labour Congress had criticised the Federal Government over the delay in the payment of the minimum wage for certain workers in the federal civil service.
Also, the Federal Government had earlier blamed the delay in payment on the prolonged approval of the 2025 budget.
By: Corlins Walter
-
News2 days agoOver 80 Army captains to sit for 2025 promotion exam in Benin
-
Politics2 days agoLP Crisis, Poetic Justice For Betrayal – Ex-presidential Aspirant
-
Sports2 days agoAfroBasket: D’Tigers To Play Against Tunisia, Cameroon, Madagascar
-
Oil & Energy2 days agoStakeholders Laud PINL For Oil Pipeline Safety
-
News2 days agoHYPREP Commits To Prioritising Workers’ Welfare, Job Creation
-
News2 days agoS’Court Holds Valedictory Session For Late Justice Ogwuegbu, Wed
-
Politics2 days agoTinubu Changing Leadership Narrative In Nigeria – Wike
-
Sports2 days agoLa Liga: Ancelotti Hails Potential Successor