The Nigerian House of Representatives has asked the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend the implementation of the new electricity tariff increase.
NaijaOnPoint.com.ng (NOP) reports the lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during plenary session on Tuesday, following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance.
The motion was sponsored by Nkemkanma Kama, a Labour Party (LP) lawmaker from Ebonyi State.
Recall that on April 3, NERC had approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
The new rates meant a hike from N67 per kilowatt-hour to N225 per kilowatt-hour, translating to a 241KW increase for the users.
Band A customers are those who enjoy electricity supply for at least 20 hours per day.
NERC said the newly approved tariff is expected to reduce subsidies for the 2024 fiscal year by about N1.14 trillion.
However, Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, has said the country will be thrown into darkness if the federal government does not implement the new hike in electricity tariff.
Appearing before the senate committee on power on Monday, Adelabu said although citizens are bearing the brunt of the increase, it would “catapult us to the next level”.
Details shortly…
