Electricity consumers across Nigeria, including households and businesses, have raised alarm over frequent hikes in tariffs despite continued poor power supply.
They urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to enforce service reliability as part of its statutory mandate.
The concerns were revealed in a survey conducted by the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), presented yesterday at a seminar in Ibadan with the theme: “Balancing Electricity Tariffs and Consumers’ Wallets: Insights from Nigerian Households and Firms’ Ability to Pay.”
According to the findings, households currently receive an average of only 10 hours of electricity daily—far below the 20-hour benchmark promised by service providers.
Meanwhile, monthly grid electricity bills have almost doubled, surging from N17,647.49 to N34,942.04.
Dr. Iyabo Olanrele, who presented the findings, said firms now spend about 82 per cent of their monthly turnover on production costs, mainly due to high tariffs.
She noted that 67.5 per cent of firms described the new rates as unaffordable, with large-scale producers being the hardest hit.
Despite 87.5 per cent of respondents acknowledging some improvement in supply, Olanrele stressed it still falls short of the 20-hour daily promise.
She added that households are increasingly adopting coping mechanisms such as solar panels, inverters, and energy-efficient appliances—though affordability remains a challenge.
Businesses, she said, are exploring renewable energy, efficient technologies, and cost-saving measures, while many remain undecided on sustainable long-term alternatives.
Earlier, NISER Director-General, Prof. Antonia Simbine, said the conversation goes beyond tariffs, touching on livelihoods, industrial competitiveness, and Nigeria’s overall development path.
She linked the findings to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises affordable and sustainable energy access.
Following deliberations, experts at the seminar recommended that NERC enforce its service reliability mandate by setting minimum investment thresholds for distribution companies before approving further tariff increases.