Reps order NERC to halt planned electricity tariff hike

The House of Representatives Committee on Power has ordered the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to halt all actions relating to the planned increase in electricity tariff across the country.

This came following dissatisfaction of the Aliyu Magaji-led committee, with efforts of the agency at explaining the rationale behind the increase, which had remained a subject of controversy since it was made public on December 31, 2019.

Magaji while giving the directive Tuesday said, “We have to ask you to put this on hold until proper consultation is done, as I am going to liaise with the senate committee”.

The lawmaker said the  Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila would next week commence wider consultations over the new tariff plan, after which the position of the House would be made known, insisting that there were a lot of preliminary issues to be addressed before any tariff increase.

Earlier at the meeting, Mr Smashudeen Mahmood, a general manager at NERC told the committee that the new plan was fallout of the federal government’s desire to withdraw subsidy on electricity tariff, beginning from April.