The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called upon electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to enhance their supply services, aiming for a continual shift of customers from lower service bands to higher ones.
This directive was outlined in the Supplementary Order to the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2024, released by the commission in Abuja, recently.
The order emphasized the necessity for DisCos to strive towards moving customers upwards from lower service bands to Bands B and A, aligning with the goal of improving service quality. NERC specified that DisCos must establish rapid response teams to ensure effective service delivery, particularly regarding committed minimum hours of supply for each service band, starting with Band A feeders from the previous Wednesday.
These response teams are assigned the tasks of promptly addressing customer complaints, resolving faults, coordinating with TCN regional teams for efficient load management, and optimizing dispatch to respective feeders.
Additionally, NERC mandated DisCos to publish contact numbers for these rapid response teams on their websites and circulate them to customers through bulk SMS, beginning with Band A clusters. DisCos are also required to publish daily on their websites the rolling seven-day average daily hours of supply for each Band A feeder by 9:00 am the following day.
The commission further outlined repercussions for DisCos failing to meet committed service levels, including explanations for failures and restoration timelines. If a DisCo fails to meet committed service levels for seven consecutive days, the feeder will be automatically downgraded.
Regarding changes to lifeline tariffs, NERC noted significant increases for various customer categories, averaging at 205 percent. However, consumers outside Band A expressed discontent over apparent changes in their tariff rates shortly after the hike. Some consumers took to social media to voice their grievances, alleging discrepancies in the placement of consumers within bands by DisCos.
Furthermore, industrialists and manufacturers cautioned that the tariff hike would inflate production costs, ultimately impacting consumers. The Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP) emphasized the importance of affordable electricity for economic development, noting its significant role in production costs.
Addressing billing issues, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) apologized to customers for erroneous charges experienced by some Band A customers following the new tariff regime. AEDC attributed this to a system glitch caused by the reclassification of some Band A customers to Band B due to recent electricity supply durations. The company assured affected customers of refunds for excess charges and pledged to rectify the situation promptly.
The Senate also pledged to address the 300 percent increase in electricity tariffs for Band A customers upon its resumption from break, emphasizing its commitment to the welfare of Nigerians and promising a favorable resolution.
