Nigerian Customers Upset as DisCos Fail to Meet Electricity Hours Despite Tariff Hikes

Nigerian customers are dissatisfied with power distribution companies (DisCos) for not meeting promised electricity hours despite higher tariffs. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) introduced the Service-Based Tariff (SBT) system in 2020, setting minimum supply standards.

Customers in Lagos, Abuja, and Awka have reported receiving fewer hours of electricity than the stipulated minimum, leading to grievances and social media criticism. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) attributed the outages to supply disruptions and system limitations.

Civil society groups have rejected these explanations, arguing that customers are paying increased tariffs without receiving adequate service. Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria's Minister of Power, has assured citizens of ongoing efforts to improve the country's electricity sector.

Stakeholders are urging NERC to enforce regulations and hold DisCos accountable for service delivery.