The Senate has asked the National Electricity Regulatory Commission to immediately enforce the abolition of fixed charges being collected from electricity consumers across the nation.

The Senate has asked the National Electricity Regulatory Commission to immediately enforce the abolition of fixed charges being collected from electricity consumers across the nation. The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly also urged the commission to investigate complaints by electricity consumers in line with provisions of the Power Reforms Act. The lawmakers want electricity distribution companies to stop the practice of compulsory bulk metering of rural communities.

The Senators observed that electricity distribution companies have been ripping off customers through fixed charges and bulk metering. The Senate also condemned a situation whereby electricity consumers with prepaid metres are being billed a fixed rate of about seven hundred naira monthly. They argued that such practice falls short of the standard established by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission and do not meet global best practices. The deliberation was based on a motion moved by Senator SAM EGWU from Ebonyi North, drawing attention to unfair trade practices of electricity distribution companies in Nigeria. Senator EGWU noted that estimated billing system is still in use in some parts of the country, which he said does not make provision for payment of actual electricity consumed.