Concerns are mounting over reports that the Federal Government may increase electricity tariffs, with many Nigerians arguing that such a move is unjustified given the persistent challenges in the country’s power sector.
Although the Presidency has denied plans for an immediate tariff hike, comments by the President’s Special Adviser on Power Infrastructure, Sadiq Wanka, suggesting that tariff adjustments across customer bands could be introduced in phases have fueled public anxiety.
Consumers insist that the government should first improve electricity supply before considering any increase in charges, noting that millions of Nigerians continue to experience unreliable power despite paying higher tariffs.
Nigeria’s electricity generation has remained between 3,500 and 4,500 megawatts, roughly the same level recorded since 2023, even as demand continues to grow.
The controversy follows the nearly 300 percent tariff increase introduced for Band A customers in April 2024, who were promised a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily. However, many consumers say the expected level of service has not been achieved.
Speaking on the issue, Kunle Olubiyo, National President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, described the current electricity market as ineffective, arguing that years of power sector privatisation have failed to deliver meaningful improvements.
He blamed poor implementation, inadequate subsidy funding, weak accountability, inaccurate energy accounting and policy distortions for the sector’s continued struggles, stressing that the existing structure discourages investment.
Olubiyo urged the Federal Government to undertake comprehensive reforms similar to those implemented in the foreign exchange and petroleum sectors, insisting that the current model has failed to meet expectations.
Also reacting, Princewill Okorie, Executive Director of the Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, warned that another tariff increase would only worsen the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
He questioned the justification for removing electricity subsidies without corresponding improvements in power supply and called for an independent audit of electricity distribution companies and funds provided to the sector by development partners, including the World Bank.
Okorie also criticised the exclusion of electricity consumers from policy discussions, arguing that those who bear the financial burden should have representation in decisions affecting the sector.
