The Federal Government has jacked up the electricity tariff for Band A customers.

Band A are those who enjoy electricity supply for 20 hours per day.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Musliu Oseni, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), said the increase will see customers pay ₦225 kilowatts per hour, up from the current ₦66.

Oseni said these customers represent 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity customers in the country.

He added that the commission had also downgraded some customers on Band A to Band B due to non-fulfilment of the required hours of electricity provided by the electricity distribution company.

“We currently have 800 feeders that are categorised as Band A, but it will now be reduced to under 500. This means that 17 per cent now qualify as Band-A feeders. These feeders only service 15 per cent of total electricity customers connected to the feeders.

“The commission has issued an order which is titled April supplementary order and the commission allows a 235 kilowatt per hour.”

He noted that the review will not affect customers on the other Bands.

Bloomberg on Tuesday reported that power companies will be allowed to raise electricity prices to N200 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from N68 for urban consumers.

It quoted people in the presidency with knowledge of the matter saying this was in a bid to attract new investment and slash about $2.3bn spent to cap tariffs (subsidies).

According to the news agency, “Nigerians will now have to pay $2.42 per one million British thermal units from the previous rate of $2.18 MMBtu.”

The increase follows Monday’s announcement by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of an increase in the price of natural gas to power.