ISAAC ASABOR In yet another blow to already struggling households, Nigerian electricity consumers have been hit with a second price hike on electricity meters within four months. As of November 5, 2024, Distribution Companies (DisCos) across Nigeria have raised the cost of single-phase meters to a range of N117, 000 to N149, 800, while three-phase meters come at even higher costs, depending on the provider and region. This move, which the DisCos attribute to the current economic climate and deregulated market policies, has sparked a wave of frustration and distrust among consumers.
For many Nigerians, access to electricity is already marred by unreliable power supply, unpredictable billing, and escalating tariffs. Adding an increase in meter prices to the mix only deepens the financial strain. Across social media platforms and in community gatherings, residents are expressing despair over what they view as an insatiable push for profits by the DisCos, who seem indifferent to the harsh realities faced by the common man.
“Every time we turn around, there’s another increase,” laments Uche Iweala, a Lagos-based civil servant. “It feels like every day, something is being taken away from us. I already struggle to keep the lights on with the bills, and now they want me to pay even more just to get an accurate meter.
It’s unfair.” The meter hike, as gathered, coincides with rising inflation and increased costs of essential goods, forcing Nigerian families to make difficul.