There Is No Plan To Increase Electricity Tariff Yet – NERC

NERC, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, has denied news going round that it plans to increase electricity tariff soon.

So, in a press release signed by the commission’s spokesperson, Usman Arabi, the commission says it has no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs in the country.

''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
guide 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, wishes to notify the general public that no tariff increase has been
approved by the commission vide the order."

Also, the statement added that Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in discharging its statutory responsibilities in the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, would continue to carry out periodic reviews of electricity tarrifs. This he promised shall be in line with the prevailing tariff methodology.

Besides, the NERC has promised to do a wide consultations with stakeholders on electricity tariff increment anytime the need arises.