By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Nigerians are expressing frustration over worsening electricity supply despite the recent hike in tariffs, especially for Band A customers who are expected to get at least 20 hours of power daily.
A resident in Abuja said, “We are paying N225 per kilowatt-hour instead of the N68 we used to pay, yet we don’t get the promised 20 hours of electricity. We spend more on generators than ever before.”
Another consumer in Lagos explained, “The situation is draining our finances. We pay high bills every month, but there is no improvement. Businesses are shutting down because they can’t keep up with the cost of fuel for generators.”
Experts in the power sector have blamed the crisis on poor infrastructure. One of them noted, “Obsolete transformers and lack of investment in basic facilities are behind the constant outages, even in Band A feeders.”
They also called for urgent reforms. According to a power analyst, “The government must ensure better regulation, recapitalize the DisCos, and look into alternative energy sources to stabilize power supply.”
Despite government assurances that the April 2024 tariff hike would stimulate investment and reduce subsidies, many Nigerians say they are yet to see any improvement in electricity supply.