Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, has hinted that electricity consumers on Band B may soon face higher tariffs, stating that they are not paying enough for the electricity they receive.
The minister made this known on Thursday at the Public Presentation of the National Integrated Electricity Policy (NIEP) and Nigeria Integrated Resource Plan (NIRP) in Abuja.
He expressed concerns over the significant disparity between what Band B customers, who receive a maximum of 18 hours of electricity, pay compared to Band A customers, who enjoy a minimum of 20 hours of supply.
Adelabu noted that the gap between the tariffs paid by the two bands is too wide, stressing the need for regularization. “One [Band B] that’s enjoying 18, 17 hours is paying N63. One that’s enjoying just 20 hours, two hours difference of supply, is paying N209. So we believe it’s not fair. It is not just. And we must be able to carry out some level of regularization,” he said.
The minister criticized electricity distribution companies (DisCos) for failing to invest in infrastructure that would accelerate the migration of lower band customers to Band A.
He pointed out that the government’s expectation for a faster migration process was not met due to the DisCos’ reluctance to upgrade their networks.
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Adelabu clarified that the proposed tariff changes would not amount to a tariff increase, as it would not exceed what Band A customers currently pay.
Instead, the government plans to implement an “internal regularization of the tariffs among the existing bands” to ensure fairness and balance.
He emphasized that any adjustments would undergo proper stakeholder engagement and would not be an arbitrary decision by the ministry or the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“We are not announcing any increase in lower band tariffs yet. If we want to do that, everybody will be carried along,” he assured.
The minister also mentioned ongoing considerations regarding subsidy implementation in the power sector, hinting at broader reforms aimed at achieving a fairer tariff structure and improving service delivery to consumers.
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