Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct Minister of Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof. James Momoh, to immediately reverse the “unlawful, unjust and unreasonable” increase in electricity tariff, which reportedly occurred in December 2022.
SERAP also urged him to ensure investigation into the spending of public funds as ‘investments and bailouts’ by successive governments to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and generating companies (GenCos) since 2005, and prosecution of cases of corruption and mismanagement.
Following reported approval by NERC, electricity tariffs were increased across DisCos in the country in December 2022. Several prepaid customers have reportedly confirmed the increase. Both the Minister ofS Power and the NERC have refused to confirm or deny the increase.
In the letter dated January 7, 2023 and signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country, and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs.
“The increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
According to the body, millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness, despite spending by successive governments of trillions of naira as investments and bailouts to electricity companies.
