Tinubu, N’Assembly tasked on fuel scarcity, tariff hike
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered the grid operator to cut back supplies to customers overseas to boost domestic supply.
In a directive, it observed that the current approach in managing supply has caused significant hardship for Nigerians, as supply under bilateral contracts, including export to international customers, takes priority over supply to domestic consumers.
The regulator said it was placing a cap of six per cent on the total available grid generation to international off-takers for the next six months, effective May 1.
Nigerian power firms have contracts with neighbouring African countries to deliver energy, which give them foreign currency to support revenue from sub-economic tariffs.
However, these companies have not always paid their bills on time.
Power cuts are rampant due to a shortage of electricity but they have become worse recently. Utilities recently raised tariffs for some domestic customers, who are supposed to get more power daily, or 20 hours a day, but they are unable to meet the supply.
Aside from having contracts with countries such as Niger, Togo and Benin, Nigerian power firms have bilateral contracts with big users at home, including industries and government departments that get priority supply over regular customers.
Analysts said the cap on overseas sales could create uncertainty in the sector.
THIS is even as the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), yesterday, called on the Presidency and National Assembly to address the lingering fuel scarcity and electricity tariff hike to mitigate the hardship in the land.
Its National Coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, charged the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to address the citizenry on measures in place to address the situation.
He stated that executive and legislative arms need to understand the implications of fuel scarcity on national security and the economy.
The group urged President Bola Tinubu to engage with relevant stakeholders to find an immediate and sustainable solution to the problem.
Charanchi said: “We warn that if the issue is not decisively dealt with, Nigerians will continue to view them as monstrous and wicked people that are after their aggrandisement.
“Nigerians may not continue to endure more suffering due to the incompetence and corruption of a few individuals without due regard to their human dignity and minimum means of economic survival with a fickle prosperity.”
The body equally decried the perennial blackout and recent tariff hike that has plunged Nigerians into darkness and economic hardship.
The national coordinator added: “The distribution companies (DisCos), backed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), have continued to charge Nigerians a new exorbitant price of N225 per unit as against the old N68 that the National Assembly instructed them to revert to.
“We condemn this as unacceptable, and the National Assembly must rise to the occasion, utilising their constitutionally-backed institutional response to ensure the DisCos comply with their earlier directive of reversing the exploitative tariff on Nigerians.”
