Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has given seven days to President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the recent 300 percent increase in electric tariff across the country.
SERAP said that the increase would further create more hardship for Nigerians who are already battling survival following the current harsh economic realities
In the letter dated 7 January 2023 and signed by the Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP described the increase which took effect from December 2022 as unlawful, unjust and unreasonable.
“The increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
SERAP asked the President to “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 reportedly occurred in December 2022.”
“The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country, and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs.”
“Millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness despite the spending by successive governments of trillions of naira as investments and bailouts to electricity companies.“The increase is unjustified, especially given the unreliable, inefficient and poor quality of electricity in the country.
“Rather than providing electricity discounts to poor Nigerians, successive governments continue to give bailouts to electricity companies.”
