According to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, electricity distribution companies must get its consent before raising rates.
This revelation was revealed by NERC spokesperson Usman Abba Arabi during a Tuesday conversation with a PUNCH correspondent.
Media sources claim that Discos has decided not to proceed with their plans to raise energy rates in the upcoming year.
The NERC spokeswoman had earlier stated that no new electricity rates for any of the Discos in the Nigerian electricity supply industry had been approved by the commission.
“No new electricity tariff has been approved. Nigerians should ignore any news reports about new electricity tariff coming up on the 1st January 2024,” he remarked.
Nigerians on social media voiced skepticism despite NERC’s confirmation that there was no intention to raise pricing, speculating that the Discos might not wait for the commission before enacting the increased tariffs.
A few Nigerians said that they had recently seen an increase in their electricity bill.
A Facebook user, Inusa Mani, said, “People buying electric units in Kaduna are already purchasing at new rates,” saying “It is either NERC is not on top of things, or they are paying lip service to Nigerians.”
An Ibadan resident with the Facebook name Vito Jean claimed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company “has been giving my apartment N15k-N30k per month, a house with one TV, six bulbs, two phones and one laptop”.
Also, Segun Alex said, “There is always no directive (from NERC) before indiscriminately increasing tariffs.”
Asked to react to the fears of Nigerians that the Discos might have carried out the tariff increase without NERC approval, Arabi replied: “DisCos are not allowed to charge any electricity tariff without the approval of NERC.”