Energy users have protested the rise in prices for single-phase and three-phase pre-paid electricity Metres under the aegis of the Nigeria Energy Consumer Advocacy Network. Read Full Article
They described it as unbearable, especially at a time when consumers are struggling greatly and almost all commodities in the energy value chain are very expensive.
They became incensed on Wednesday after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased the prices for prepaid metres.
According to a Bendelnews story published on Wednesday, the nation's electrical regulator has raised metre fees.
The announcement was made in a circular that Chairman of the Commission Sanusi Garba and Commissioner of Legal, Licencing, and Compliance Dafe Akpeneye signed and dated on September 5, 2023.
According to the circular, the price of a single-phase pre-paid metre has gone from N58,661.69k to N81,975.16k, while the price of three-phase pre-paid metres has climbed from N109,684.36k to N143,836.10k.
According to the new price, metres will now be priced fairly and sensibly for both MAPs and end-user consumers.
In order to "ensure MAP's ability to recover reasonable costs associated with metre procurement and maintenance while ensuring that their pricing structure allows for a viable return on investment," according to NERC, the surge was necessary. Assess the consumer affordability of metre services with the goal of avoiding exorbitant pricing that can burden end users. Make sure that MAPs can offer metres to end-use customers given the current financial conditions.
One of the four frameworks in the legislation for the Metre Asset Provider scheme for the provision of Meters to end-user customers in NESI.
According to Section 8(1)(c) of the regulations, single-phase and three-phase metres provided by MAPs, as well as any additional installation and warranty charges, must be purchased at regulated rates that have been approved by the commission.
The commission observes that major changes in macroeconomic factors, such as inflation and shifts in exchange values, have made it necessary to reevaluate the set rates for MAP metres.
The approved rates must be reflected in all MAPs' prices. Before the start of this order, all MAPs must supply metres that end-use customers had already paid for at the rate in effect at the time of the customers' payment, without any extra cost increases.
All discos and MAPs are required to create and implement customer education programmes about prices.
"All Discos and MAPs are required to establish and implement customer education campaigns on the price review, as well as a timeline for carrying out their metre rollout plans. The commission must continue to receive monthly sales and metre installation returns from all MAPs.
Electricity customers, however, responded that they were aware that the MAPs had pushed for the raise and that they had previously issued warnings against similar actions.
The Nigeria Electricity Consumer Advocacy Network's National Secretary, Uket Obonga, told The Punch that the situation was not satisfactory because consumers were now having to deal with an excessive increase in the costs of various products in the energy sectors, such as fuel, diesel, metres, and so forth.
He pointed out that because they had threatened to walk away from the agreement, they knew the MAPs had put pressure on the federal government.
Obonga said, "They (government) have been talking about this since the unification of the foreign exchange rates, but we warned against it due to the plights being faced by Nigerians right now." Obonga called on the government to take into account the travail of Nigerians and reverse the hike. Read Full Article
