· Asokoro, Garki lead
· FCCPC backs NERC’s N200m fine on AEDC
By Sarah NEGEDU & Godfrey AKON
Abuja, the nation’s capital, may be most affected by the new electricity tariff regime introduced by the federal government, as the Federal Capital Territory houses 22percent of Band A feeders areas nationwide.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had last week, jerk electricity tariff for customers on Band ‘A’, charging them N225 per kilowatt-hour, as against the initial N68 paid per kilowatt-hour.
NERC categorises customers on Band A to E with the minimum supply requirement to include: Band A, 20 hours/day; Band B, 16 hours/day; Band C, 12 hours/day; Band D, eight hours/day; and Band E, four hours/day.
According to the commission, Band A customers constitute only 15percent of the 12.8 million electricity customers in the country, and receive 40percent of available supply.
Vice Chairman of the commission, Musliu Oseni, at a press briefing to announce the new tarrif regime, explained that NERC had downgraded some customers on Band A, to Band B, due to non-fulfilment of the required hours of electricity provided by the electricity distribution company.
As a result of this, the NERC reduced its initial 800 feeders categorised as Band A, to less than 500. The commission over the weekend, approved 481 Band A areas for the purpose of implementing the new tariff.
Documents released by the regulator indicates that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has the highest number of Band A feeder area with 107 of such, while the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, has 64 feeder areas followed by
Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, with 45, followed closely by Benin and Enugu electricity distribution companies with 44 each.
Further analysis shows that the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company houses 43 band A feeders, while Kano Electricity Distribution Company has 43, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, 30, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, 25, Eko Electricity Distribution Plc, 21 and Yola Electricity Distribution Company, YEDC, being the least with 15 Band A feeders.
A look at the AEDC coverage area indicates that Asokoro and Garki Districts are responsible for about 50percent of the Band A customers in Abuja. Both districts have a total of 51 out of the 107 Band A feeder areas in the FCT.
Some of the Band A areas in Asokoro include those fed from the 132KV APO T/S_33KV FDR H5_R7_4B Asokoro Alex Ibru Street, Yoruba Mosque, Babagana Kingibe, Hassan Adamu, Bola Ige Street, are all affected by the tariff increase.
Also affected are the Asokoro NNPC Filling Station and its environs Asokoro World Bank and Senator Obiora, Ali Akilu Street, Queen Amina Street, Suleiman Barau Street, DSS QTR, parts of Queen Elizabeth Street.
Military Barracks like the Army War College in Asokoro, NAOWA Secretariat, DIA, State House Clinics, W.U Bassey Barracks Extension, Niger Barracks, Command Guest House Naval Holding LTD, DSS QTR and Mogadishu Barracks are all categorised as Band A customers.
Band A customers in Garki District includes areas streching from Garki Area Office through the Treasury House, CBN QTR, Garki Modern Market down to Rita Lori Hotel, the UN House, through Zambia and Bukina Faso Embassies, down to Egypt, through Sudan and Kenyan Embassies, all connecting to Garki South around Russian Embassy, connecting to the Dome, to ICC.
Commercial hubs around Wuse II including those along Lobito crescent, Bannex plaza, AP plaza, Exclusive Stores, Glo Office will all have to pay more for electricity tariff.
Other areas listed under Band A feeder in the FCT include the Airport NICOMSAT, Korean School, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Dunamis Church, Shoprite.
Areas serviced by the 132KV APO T/S_33KV FDR H37_S26_K10 around Apo AEDC Regional Office Apo, Jimenta Filling Station, ZONE C Defence Quarters, ZONE E Extension.
Satellite areas captured under the 132KV KUBWA T/S_33KV DAM FDR_K32_FD3 including Dutse New Treatment Plant as well as the Dutse Lower USUMA Dam are also affected.
This is even as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has commended the recent enforcement action taken by the NERC against the AEDC, for violating the Supplementary Order to the Multi-Year Tariff Order 2024 for AEDC.
In a statement by its Acting Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, the commission said the directive which includes a mandate for AEDC to reimburse all customers in bands B, C, D, and E who were billed above the allowed tariff bands and to pay a fine of N200 million, represents a crucial step towards upholding consumer rights and ensuring fairness within Nigeria’s electricity industry.
“NERC’s decision to penalise AEDC reinforces FCCPC’s strong advocacy for protecting consumers from unfair market practices, as mandated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. Notably, this action was taken within 48 hours of the introduction of a new tariff regime for Band A customers.
“While NERC approved the tariff realignment and Service Delivery Commitments for Band A electricity customers to ensure the sustainability and viability of Distribution Companies (DisCos) and the entire electricity sector, we acknowledge the legitimate concerns raised by consumers. Many consumers have expressed fear that the likelihood of arbitrary estimated billing for unmetered Band A customers could lead to consumer abuse and dissatisfaction.
“DisCos’ repeated failure to meet the minimum power supply hours for respective tariff bands and their failure over time to compensate consumers for service downtime have made consumer grievances worse,” the statement said.
