A new regulation to enforce metering for electricity consumers will be ready next month, according to the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof. James Momoh. This is a fresh move by the regulatory agency to stop electricity distribution companies (DisCos) from fleecing their customers through the current regime of estimated billing.
Momoh, who gave the hint during a media briefing in Abuja, insisted that there would be no immediate increase in electricity tariffs, stressing that the commission was working to ensure that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) provide meters to consumers.
He said: “Failure to do so, we have a backup plan, which is one of our regulations that will be out in about a month, called ‘Clapping’ which is going to put a maximum amount DisCos can charge customers.
“For DisCos, it will be an advantage for them to provide meters as this is an attempt to make sure that the win-win customers are metered. We want DisCos to provide them with meters because the minimum we are going to allow them to charge is not going to be to their advantage in the long run.”
There had been a public outcry by stakeholders who argued that the proposed tariff increase, as published by the commission, was not only unacceptable, but would trigger inflation, worsen poverty and affect other economic indexes, amid epileptic power supply.
“There is no immediate increase in tariff for customers. As a regulator, we have been mandated to review the proposed tariff twice a year. We did the first one around June and we have no other option, but to do our job.
“We have done the review and it is subject to public consultation. In the next three months, the commission will be going from place to place to engage stakeholders for consultation.
“The other is a communication of what we have done to increase or reduce tariff. If at the end of our meetings, we decide that there will be no increase, it will be so. If there will be increase, it will be based on our engagement at the public forums,” he clarified.
A new Minor Review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015 and the Minimum Remittance Order (MRO) for 2020 published by NERC had on Saturday revealed that electricity consumers in Nigeria would pay more tariff from April this year.
