Electricity consumers in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised concerns over what they describe as a reduction in prepaid meter units, sparking suspicion of a possible tariff increase.
Residents of Kubwa and Lugbe who spoke with reporters said they have recently observed that the amount of electricity units received for the same recharge value has dropped significantly.
A Kubwa resident, Juliet Ogheneovo said she previously received about 89.9 units for a N5,000 recharge but now gets approximately 73.4 units.
She expressed surprise at the change, noting that she had not been informed of any official tariff adjustment.
Similarly, another resident, Malik Abubakar said his N5,000 recharge, which previously yielded nearly 90 units, now provides about 51.7 units, describing the situation as frustrating.
Abubakar added that the issue is more troubling given the irregular power supply in his area.
In Lugbe, Caroline Uneru shared a similar experience, stating that her usual 99.6 units for a N6,000 recharge had reduced to about 88.2 units
Another resident, Stephen Adelaja, also noted a drop in units from 28.7 to 22.5 units for a N2,000 recharge, questioning the consistency of billing practices.
The complaints have raised concerns among consumers about transparency in electricity pricing and service delivery.
However, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has denied any recent tariff increase.
An official of the commission explained that tariff adjustments follow a detailed process involving stakeholder engagement and public communication.
According to the regulator, no such review has been carried out recently.
Under the current electricity tariff structure, customers are categorised into different bands based on supply hours, with Band A customers paying between N206 and N209 per kilowatt-hour, while other bands pay lower rates depending on service levels.
Meanwhile, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said it would investigate the complaints raised by consumers.
As of the time of filing this report, the company had yet to provide a detailed response regarding the alleged discrepancies.
