Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) don order nine electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to compensate Band A customers wey dey live for 557 streets wey dem franchise for failing to meet the minimum power supply requirements set under di new electricity tariff structure. Dis affected customers wey dey pay the highest electricity tariffs suppose get minimum of 20 hours electricity supply per day, but no be so e be.
NERC state say di affected DisCos gatz implement di compensation across 152 electricity feeders because of di poor power supply wey dem provide for di month of April. Di compensation fit be through either electricity credit or improved power supply, according to di April 2025 Multi-Year Tariff Order wey dem just release.
Di DisCos wey dey involved na Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDC), Ikeja Electric, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), and Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) join dem too, to improve di supply for some areas.
Dis directive come one year after NERC approve una controversial tariff increase of over 300% for Band A customers, wey dey suppose get minimum of 20 hours power supply daily. Despite di increase and large expansion for di Band A customer base, consumers dey complain say dem dey suffer poor service delivery, with plenty businesses and households dey struggle with erratic power supply, high production costs, plus low disposable income.
NERC in di MYTO talk say, “As per di provisions of di order on migration of customers and compensation for service failure under di service-based tariff framework, and di directive for electricity distribution companies on Band A feeder monitoring, upgrade and downgrade, di commission don issue di following orders.”
“AEDC gatz compensate di affected customers in Band A feeders wey dey listed for Appendix 3 for failing to deliver up to 20 hours of average supply, but more than 18 hours. Meanwhile, dem go downgrade di Band A feeder wey dey listed for Appendix 2 to di appropriate level of supply and make sure say dem compensate di affected customers according to di provisions of di Order on Migration.”
A breakdown show say EKEDC get di highest number of affected streets, with compensation to go to customers for 155 streets wey dey served by 57 feeders. On di other hand, AEDC gatz compensate consumers for 74 streets across 20 feeders. Some areas wey go receive compensation na Army Resettlement, Papal Ground, Aso Garden, Nydren Supermarket, NERC Headquarters, Sahad Super Stores, CBN Headquarters, Bassan Plaza, Reiz Continental, Nalado, National War College, and di Chinese Embassy.
PHED gatz cover 131 streets across 22 feeders, while IE go compensate 105 streets on 25 feeders; IBEDC go cover 59 streets on 14 feeders; BEDC, 14 streets on four feeders; KEDCO, two streets on two feeders; and KAEDC, three streets on one feeder. Apart from di compensation order, NERC also direct say 58 streets on 15 feeders go downgrade from Band A due to consistent poor power supply, while 33 streets on 15 feeders go upgrade to Band A because of better service.
Dis the NERC directive na important move to hold di DisCos accountable for service delivery under di service-reflective tariff model, even as customers and businesses dey demand for better electricity service across di country.
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