The Nigerian Government has assured that vulnerable electricity consumers who may be unable to afford full payments under the forthcoming cost-reflective tariff regime will receive targeted support to cushion the impact.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), Abdu Bello Mohammed, gave the assurance during a roundtable with power correspondents in Abuja on the theme, “Cost Reflective Tariff versus Energy Poverty: Finding a Pricing Balance in Nigeria’s Power Sector.”
Mohammed emphasised that while implementing a cost-reflective tariff is essential for the sustainability and growth of the power sector, the government remains mindful of the need to protect low-income households from the potential burden of higher electricity costs.
Also Read: Nigeria to Roll Out 7 Million Smart Meters
Stakeholders at the session agreed that tariff reform must go hand in hand with improvements in power supply quality and reliability. They also called for urgent steps to tackle technical and commercial losses, decentralise the national grid to minimise transmission losses, and boost investments in distribution infrastructure particularly in transformers and metering.
The discussions form part of ongoing engagements between government agencies, operators, and stakeholders aimed at achieving a sustainable balance between cost recovery for utilities and affordability for consumers.
