By The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has condemned the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) proposal to move lower-band electricity consumers to Band A, describing it as insensitive and unfairly shifting the burden of a failed privatisation process onto citizens.
RDI’s Executive Director, Philip Jakpor, warned that the tariff hike would worsen Nigeria’s already dire energy poverty, affecting businesses, healthcare, and national development. He aligned RDI’s position with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which is planning nationwide protests against the move.
Citing a World Bank report, Jakpor noted that Nigeria has the highest absolute electricity access deficit globally, with 45 percent of the population — around 90 million people — lacking grid access.
“It’s unacceptable to push even more Nigerians into darkness while millions already lack electricity,” Jakpor said, calling the plan “systematic exploitation and economic violence against ordinary citizens.”
He also blamed the failed 2013 power sector privatisation for rising electricity costs, constant outages, grid collapses, and growing inequality in access to power.
Jakpor criticised the band system as class-based, arguing it favors the wealthy while leaving low-income communities, including those hosting gas facilities, without reliable electricity.
As a solution, RDI called for reversing power sector privatisation and adopting a public-public partnership focused on renewable energy investment.
“Increasing tariffs will only deepen suffering and prolong failure. Nigerians deserve better,” Jakpor concluded.
