The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission says there will be a 3-month delay in the implementation of the proposed electricity tariff in the country.
The update on the postponement of the tariff increment was published later today on the official twitter account of the Nigerian Minister of Power Engr. Sale Mamman @EngrSMamman.
The tweet read “The Federal Government has agreed to delay the implementation of a new tariff plan in the Nigerian Power sector by 3 months.
This is in relation to the #COVID19 pandemic and current economic reality of the Country.”
Recall that 9News Nigeria had earlier today reported on the plan of the Electricity Distribution Companies to hike electricity tariff amid Coronavirus lockdown.
READ ALSO : Electricity tariff to increase on Wednesday despite COVID-19 lockdown
The regulator had earlier announced that there would be an upward review of electricity tariff across the country effective April 1.
But Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the suspension in the implementation of the new tariff was one of the measures taken by the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to support Nigerians in this difficult time when COVID-19 is disrupting the nation’s economy.
He said, “We must work together. I must specifically commend the Distribution Companies that have direct interface with the citizens.
“Many of the DisCos have announced that they will take measures to maintain power supply to citizens in this difficult time.
“I would like to implore that the DisCos uphold these commitments.”
According to him, players in the industry are working with the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure payments to the generators and gas suppliers.
He said that the payment to be done through the Payment Assurance Facility would be expedited to support power supply.
(News Agency of Nigeria)
