SERAP advises Buhari to reverse the unauthorised increase in electricity rates

SERAP says that the rise in electricity prices will make the country’s extreme poverty even worse.

People have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reverse what they say was an illegal, unfair, and unjustifiable price hike for electricity in December 2022.

SERAP says that the President should “direct the Minister of Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, and the Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Professor James Momoh, to immediately reverse the unlawful, unjust, and unreasonable increase in electricity tariff, which is said to have happened in December 2022.”

Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, demanded that Buhari “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 and the prosecution of cases of corruption and mismanagement” in a statement released on Sunday.

The country’s DisCos raised their electricity rates in December 2022 after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) reportedly gave its approval. According to reports, a number of prepaid consumers have confirmed the rise. Either the NERC or the Minister of Power have not confirmed or denied the rise.

The rights organisation warned that “the rise in energy tariffs would worsen the acute poverty across the nation and weaken the capacity of millions of Nigerians to meet basic human necessities.”

“The rise in the price of electricity did not follow the proper procedure.” It is completely at odds with and incompatible with the terms of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, the 1999 Nigerian Constitution [as amended], and the nation’s duties under international human rights law.

Despite spending trillions of naira on investments and bailouts for energy firms, millions of Nigerians still go without electricity.

“The rise is unjustifiable, particularly given how unreliable, ineffective, and low-quality the country’s electricity is.” Successive governments keep granting bailouts to electrical providers rather than offering discounts to low-income Nigerians.

“We appreciate it if the suggested actions are carried out within 7 days of the letter’s receipt and/or publication. If we haven’t heard from you by then, SERAP will think about going to court to force your government to do what we asked in the public’s best interest.