The Nationwide Electrical energy Regulatory Fee has said that electrical energy distribution firms require its approval earlier than rising tariffs.
The spokesperson of the NERC, Usman Abba Arabi, made this disclosure in a chat with The PUNCH correspondent on Tuesday.
There have been media experiences that Discos had concluded plans to hike electrical energy tariffs within the New 12 months.
Earlier, the NERC spokesperson had famous that the fee had not accepted any new electrical energy tariffs for any of the Discos throughout the Nigerian electrical energy provide business.
“No new electrical energy tariff has been accepted. Nigerians ought to ignore any information experiences about new electrical energy tariff developing on the first January 2024,” he remarked.
Regardless of NERC’s clarification that there was no plan to hike tariffs, Nigerians on social media expressed scepticism, saying the Discos won’t anticipate the fee earlier than rolling out the brand new tariffs.
Some Nigerians mentioned they’d seen a rise within the quantity they pay for electrical energy currently.
A Fb person, Inusa Mani, mentioned, “Individuals shopping for electrical models in Kaduna are already buying at new charges,” saying “It’s both NERC shouldn’t be up to the mark, or they’re paying lip service to Nigerians.”
An Ibadan resident with the Fb identify Vito Jean claimed the Ibadan Electrical energy Distribution Firm “has been giving my condominium N15k-N30k per thirty days, a home with one TV, six bulbs, two telephones and one laptop computer”.
Additionally, Segun Alex mentioned, “There’s at all times no directive (from NERC) earlier than indiscriminately rising tariffs.”
Requested to react to the fears of Nigerians that the Discos might need carried out the tariff improve with out NERC approval, Arabi replied: “DisCos aren’t allowed to cost any electrical energy tariff with out the approval of NERC.”