The Nigerian government has temporarily suspended the hike in electricity tariffs to stay true to the agreements it reached with the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress last weekend.
Recall the federal government had met with the labour leaders on Sunday in its last-ditch effort to halt the planned industrial action, earlier scheduled for Monday, to protest the hike in the price of fuel and electricity tariffs. The strike was later called off by labour.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), Tuesday night issued the order to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies, (DISCOs), in the country asking them to suspend the recent hike in tariff for two weeks.
The new electricity tariff regime was implemented on September 1, 2020.
The commission’s suspension order of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2020 signed by Prof James Momoh, NERC’s Chairman was released on its website on Wednesday.
The Order, No. NERC/209/2020, with the title: “NERC Order on suspension of the Multi Year Tariff Order 2020 for the electricity distribution licensees, addressed to DISCOs was signed by the NERC Chairman, James Momoh; and the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye.”
“This means that for the next two weeks, electricity consumers having power above 12 hours who were affected by the over 100 percent tariff hike would revert to their old charges.”
The suspension order takes effect from September 28, 2020 to Oct 11. The DISCOs were directed to revert to the earlier tariffs charged before the hike on September 1.
The interim 14-day suspension of the hike in tariff was to enable wider consultations between the Government and labour with a view to reaching a compromise and resolution of the contending issues involved.
