Residents of Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states have expressed frustration over the recent hike in electricity tariffs, describing it as exploitative amidst persistent epileptic power supply across the country. A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed widespread dissatisfaction among consumers, who argue that improving power supply should be the government’s priority rather than increasing tariffs.
Consumers Lament Exploitative Tariffs
Mr. Sadiq Adewale, a former Vice-President of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) for the South-West, attributed the poor power situation to outdated equipment used by power generation and distribution companies (gencos and discos). “Most of the equipment being used by discos needs to be replaced with modern ones to meet the increasing electricity demands of Nigerians,” Adewale said. He emphasized that without upgrading these facilities, it would be difficult to guarantee regular power supply.
Residents like Mr. Abiodun Ogunyomi from Ile-Ife and Mr. Dara Olagoke from Osogbo echoed similar sentiments, lamenting that the tariff hike has further burdened households and businesses already struggling with unreliable electricity. “How do they expect the masses to cope? There’s no regular electricity supply, yet they increase the tariff. This is unacceptable,” Olagoke said.
Businesses Crippled by Poor Power Supply
The erratic power supply has had a devastating impact on businesses. Mrs. Iyabo Ogundele, a frozen foods seller, and Mr. Joel Ilesanmi, a barbing salon operator, shared how the lack of electricity has threatened their livelihoods. “A large percentage of my daily earnings goes into buying fuel for my generator,” Ilesanmi said. He urged the government to ensure that distribution companies provide prepaid meters to all applicants to curb systemic overbilling.
IBEDC Explains Challenges
Mrs. Kikelomo Owoeye, the Senior Communication Officer for the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in Osun, acknowledged the challenges facing the power sector. She cited low energy allocation from gencos, grid disturbances, energy theft, vandalism, and non-payment of bills as major issues. “We cannot distribute what we do not generate,” Owoeye said. She added that IBEDC distributes power based on customer bands, with Band A receiving up to 20 hours of electricity daily and Band E receiving only 4 hours.
Calls for Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Upgrade
Mr. Kehinde Owolabi, a hospitality entrepreneur, called for investment in renewable energy sources like solar and wind power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “The current transmission and distribution networks are outdated and inefficient, leading to frequent outages,” he said. Owolabi also urged the government to create a favorable regulatory environment to attract private investments in the energy sector.
Outrage Over High Bills
Residents like Mr. Sunday Ajibade in Ado-Ekiti and Mrs. Kehinde Aruleba in Akure condemned the exorbitant monthly bills issued by discos. “How can a two-bedroom apartment be billed N35,000 to N40,000 monthly when power supply is inconsistent?” Aruleba questioned. She expressed support for the proposed strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the tariff hike.
NLC Blames Corruption, Obsolete Equipment
Dr. Foluso Taiwo, Secretary of the NLC in Ekiti, blamed obsolete equipment and corruption for the poor power supply. He noted that transformers installed decades ago are now inadequate for densely populated areas, leading to frequent breakdowns. Taiwo also criticized successive civilian governments for failing to complete power generation projects initiated by military regimes. “We must address corruption and invest in modern infrastructure to solve the power problem,” he said.
A Call for Sustainable Solutions
As Nigerians grapple with high tariffs and poor electricity, stakeholders are calling for a balanced approach to energy pricing and long-term investments in the power sector. Consumers like Mrs. Abiodun Ibiwoye have turned to alternative energy sources like solar power, while others like Mr. Solomon Ogunlola are adopting energy-efficient appliances to reduce consumption.
The consensus among residents is clear: the government must prioritize improving power supply and addressing systemic issues in the sector before considering further tariff increases.