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We’re spending N1.2trillion on electricity tariff – FG
Rather than the touted 65 per cent increase in electricity tariff across the country, the Federal Government, has declared its readiness to continue assisting Nigerians get cheap electricity.
Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, who conveyed this on Monday, explained that already a whopping N200billion was being invested as subsidy for electricity monthly, totalling N1.2trillion yearly.
Explaining that the government would continue to explore ways to improve supply and ensure the subsidies were delivered to the most vulnerable households, she dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the government was considering a 65 per cent increase in electricity tariffs.
Dwelling on the attitude of the government in providing cheap power, Verheijen, stated in a statement, agaist the loud outcry over the said new proposal for tariff increase, that even with the increase in tariffs for Band A electricity consumers last year, the government still provided about 35 per cent electricity subsidy.
She said: “It is a misrepresentation of what I actually said in a recent press interview. I highlighted the fact that, following the increase in Band A tariffs in 2024, current tariffs now cover approximately 65 per cent of the actual cost of supplying electricity, with the Federal Government continuing to subsidise the difference.”
Bemoaning a situation where she claimed that much of the N200 billion subsidy “benefits the wealthiest 25 per cent of Nigerians rather than those who truly need assistance,” she said the government was implementing a multi-faceted programme to ensure effective pricing and metering of electricity, reduce general cost of electricity supply and ensure that the most vulnerable segment of the society have access to electricity supply.
“While the government is committed to ensuring fairer pricing over the long term, the immediate focus is on taking decisive actions to deliver more electricity to Nigerians, ensure fewer outages, and guarantee the protection of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians.
“The government fully understands the economic realities facing citizens and is committed to ensuring that reforms in the power sector lead to tangible improvements in people’s daily lives. Every policy is designed with the Nigerian people in mind-eliminating unfair estimated billing, ensuring that subsidies benefit the right people, and creating the conditions for stable, affordable electricity.
“These reforms are laying the foundation for better service delivery, expanded access to electricity for homes and businesses, and unlocking prosperity for all Nigerians. Under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), the government plans to accelerate nationwide rollout of seven million prepaid meters, starting this year.
“The mass rollout of prepaid meters will finally put an end to the practice of estimated billing, giving consumers confidence in what they are paying for and ensuring transparency in electricity charges.
“Metering will also improve revenue collection across the sector and thus attract the investments needed to strengthen Nigeria’s power infrastructure. A new subsidy regime template is underway to ensure that electricity subsidies get more to the most vulnerable in the society.
“To address this, the Federal Government is working towards a targeted subsidy system to ensure that low-income households receive the most support. This approach will make electricity more affordable and accessible for millions of hardworking families.”
She also spoke on settlement of legacy power debt, explaining that it remained a top priority for the government as mounting debts owed to power generation companies had been part of the major roadblocks to improved service in the sector.
She added: “For years, these debts have prevented investments in new infrastructure and hampered efforts to improve electricity supply. By clearing these outstanding obligations, the government is ensuring that power companies can reinvest in better service delivery, stronger infrastructure, and a more stable electricity supply for all Nigerians.
“Through a range of fiscal incentives, including the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Customs Duty waivers, the government is working to lower the cost of alternative power sources such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
“These priorities reflect the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s recognition of the economic realities facing Nigerians and its commitment to ensuring that power sector reforms deliver tangible benefits to citizens.”
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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