Electricity tariffs are anticipated to rise by 300 percent.
The federal government has purportedly sanctioned power companies to increase electricity prices to N200 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from N68 for urban consumers starting this month.
According to Bloomberg news agency, these consumers account for 15% of the population but consume 40% of the nation’s electricity.
The report further states: “Nigerians will now have to pay $2.42 per one million British thermal units, up from the previous rate of $2.18 MMBtu. Power firms are unable to charge enough to cover the cost of distributing electricity, with the government bridging the gap by providing subsidies to companies in the sector.
“The government has previously stated that electricity companies face a deficit of an estimated two trillion naira in capital and require new investors to revitalize the industry.”
This development follows an announcement by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) regarding an increase in the price of natural gas. Natural gas is utilized to generate over 70% of electricity in Nigeria.
