News
ELECTRICITY: Tariff hike looms as monthly power subsidy hits N181bn
Electricity customers on Band A feeders may need to brace up for a possible tariff increase following the rise in the electricity tariff shortfall otherwise known as subsidy.
The electricity subsidy to be paid by the Federal Government rose to N181,63bn in September from N102.30bn in May.
In April when the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission announced the removal of subsidy in areas categorised as Band A feeders, the subsidy was N140.7bn.
To ensure liquidity in the sector, the government stopped paying subsidies for Band A customers, who enjoy a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily, raising their tariff to N225 per kilowatt-hour.
The decision generated outcries among Nigerians, including labour unions, and education and health institutions, whose electricity bills tripled following the removal of the subsidy.
In May when the subsidy figure dropped to N102.30bn, the government slashed the Band A tariff to N206.80/kWh.
However, the tariff was jerked to N209/kWh in early July as the subsidy rose again to N158bn in June.
According to data released by the NERC, the subsidy rose to N163.87bn in July, N173.88bn in August, and N181.63bn in September, fuelling speculations that there may be another tariff increase in the October Multi-Year Tariff Order unless the cost of power generation drops.
The foreign exchange crisis has been the major driver of the electricity subsidy.
The NERC put the dollar exchange rate at N1,494.1 in July; 1,564.3 in August; and N1601.5 in September.
According to the regulator, the dollar rate and inflation are the determinants of the cost of power production.
In the MYTO order to all the power distribution companies for September, the NERC said, further to Section 23 of the MYTO-2024, the supplementary orders are to reflect the changes in the pass-through indices outside the control of licensees including inflation rates, naira/dollar exchange rate, available generation capacity and gas price for the determination of cost-reflective tariffs.
The naira to the US dollar exchange rate of N1,601.50 to a dollar was adopted for September.
The Nigerian inflation rate of 33.40 per cent for July 2024 as published by the National Bureau of Statistics was applied to revise the Nigerian inflation rate projection for 2024 while the US inflation rate of 2.90 per cent for July 2024 was applied to revise the US Inflation rate projection for 2024.
As of September, the NERC maintains the benchmark gas-to-power price of $2.42/MMBTU based on the established benchmark price of gas-to-power by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in line with Section 167 of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
The cost of power generation is also being impacted by contracted gas supply and transportation prices outside the domestic gas delivery obligation quantities based on effective gas sale agreements approved by the commission.
When the commission reduced the Band A tariff to N206/KWh in May, its spokesperson, Usman Arabi, told our correspondent that the reduction was due to the naira appreciation in the foreign exchange market.
Our correspondent observed that despite the rise in the cost of power generation, the Federal Government has yet to approve another tariff hike, perhaps due to the current economic hardship in the country, especially with the rise in the cost of premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol.
For example, in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, the commission said the energy delivered was 611 megawatt-hours per hour in April. The same was delivered from May to September.
While the generation cost was N103.9 per kilowatt-hour in April, it dropped to N87.33/KWh in May and rose to N113.69/KWh in September.
The AEDC had a transmission and admin cost of N9.1/kWh in April, N8.9/kWh in May and N9.8/kWh in June. It is N10.4 in September.
It was gathered from the NERC data that the end-user cost-reflective tariff in AEDC was N185/kWh in July; N192.2/kWh in August and N195.5/kWh in September.
Similarly, the end-user allowed tariff was N117.31/kWh in the three months, indicating that despite the rise in the cost of power generation, the NERC pegged the allowed tariffs at the same rate in July, August, and September.
However, our correspondent reports that the Discos are already complaining over the non-cost-reflective tariffs.
Some of them are currently refusing to off-take electricity allocated to them from the grid, demanding that subsidies be removed in all bands.
A top official of one of the Discos had said that the power companies were finding it difficult to pick the extra energy produced by generation companies because they were not happy with the tariff on other bands apart from Band A.
“As it is now, we are operating at a loss. Yes, they supply more power but this problem could be solved with improved tariff for the other bands and more meter penetration to recover the cost,” the Disco official, who pleaded not to be named due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, said.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, recently decried the rejection of power by electricity distribution companies, describing it as regrettable.
According to the minister, generation peaked above 5,000 megawatts recently, but “unfortunately, it had to be ramped down by 1,400MW due to the inability of the Discos to pick the supply.”
Adelabu lamented the development, saying “This is really regrettable considering that the government is on course to increase generation to 6,000MW by the end of the year.”
Adelabu called on power distribution companies to take more energy to prevent grid collapse as the grid’s frequency drops when power is produced and not picked by the Discos.
PUNCH
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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