By John Egbokhan
The Federal Government has said that plans are ongoing to jerk up electricity tariffs “over the next few months”.
It said that the planned hike needed to be balanced by subsidies for less-affluent electricity users.
Bloomberg quoted the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, Olu Verheijen, as dropping this hint at the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where Nigeria presented a $32 billion plan to expand electricity connections by 2030.
According to the presidential assistant, Nigeria is trying to resolve the transition to a cost-efficient but cost-reflective tariff to attract private investors.
She said: “One of the key challenges we’re looking to resolve over the next few months is transitioning to a cost-efficient but cost-reflective tariff.
“So the sector generates revenue required to attract private capital, while also protecting the poor and vulnerable.”
Last year, the federal government approved a threefold increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
The new move to increase tariffs comes in the face of mounting pressure from Nigeria’s debt-burdened electricity distribution companies for tariffs to be cost-reflective in order for there to be improved finances.
