Reverse Unlawful Electricity Tariff Hike – SERAP Tells Buhari

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Saturday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Minister of Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba and the chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Prof. James Momoh to “urgently reverse the unlawful, unreasonable and unjust increase in electricity tariff in the country, which reportedly occurred in December 2022.”

SERAP also urged Buhari to “ensure the investigation of the spending of public funds as ‘investments and bailouts’ by successive governments to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and generating companies (GenCos) since 2005.”

It also wants the President to ensure the prosecution of cases of corruption and mismanagement.

SERAP disclosed this in a letter at the weekend and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

The organization also said, “the increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It’s entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

It added that “millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness despite the spending by successive governments of trillions of naira as investments and bailouts to electricity companies.”

Recall that after reported approval by the NERC, electricity tariffs were increased across DisCos in Nigeria last December.