Nigeria extends suspension of new electricity tariff

The Federal Government has extended the suspension of the new electricity tariff by one week.

Prof. James Momoh, Chairman, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) made this known when the ad hoc Technical Committee on Electricity Tariff submitted its interim report at a reconvene bilateral meeting between Federal Government and Organised Labour on Monday in Abuja.

BusinessLive reports that the new tariff was earlier suspended for two weeks and ended at midnight on Oct. 11, when the organised labour suspended the planned industrial action over agitation on the hike in electricity tariff on Sept. 28.

It would also be recalled that the the committee which was Chaired by Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour is to examine the justifications for the new policy in view of the need for the validation of the basis for the new cost reflective tariff.

It was also agreed that while the committee carries the justification that electricity tariff should be reduced for two weeks.

Momoh while speaking, said the one week extension new tariff said was to enable the committee to review and work out modalities for the implementation of the agreement reached on the electricity tariffs structure.

Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, while reading a resolution reached between the Federal Government, Organised Labour and the Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Electricity Tariff said that adoption of the work plan for effecting the resolutions has been reached.

Ngige said the resolutions adopted would be implemented by all stakeholders within the week by Sunday, Oct. 18.

According to him, the following amendments to the resolutions were adopted include, phase one immediate reliefs.

“Using of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) VAT proceeds to provide relief in electricity tariff. This is to  leverage on the VAT from the NESI, the increases experienced by customers due to the transition to the Service Based Tariff will be reduced.

“That is Band A – 10 per cert reduction, Band B – 10.5 per cert reduction and Band C – 31 reduction,” he said.

He said on the acceleration of National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).

It was adopted that for the distribution of the first one million meters, the Ministry of Power was to liaise with Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

He added that they are to start work by Oct. 12, to accelerate the roll out of meters with a target of December 2020.

The minister, therefore said that the meeting agreed that it would work towards bridging the metering gap.

“The Federal Government committed to provide six million meters and NERC is expected to compel the DISCOs to meet the metering needs of the customers,” he said.