Abuja residents lament as AEDC increases price of electricity by 100%

Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are lamenting the rising cost of electricity in the capital, with some considering alternative means of powering their homes.

Tribune Online investigation revealed that the increase is due to the upgrade by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) from other bands to Band A, a category of electricity supply.

Abdul Uman, a security personnel in Garki, told Tribune: “I don’t use my air conditioner anymore; electricity has become so expensive. N5,000 worth of electricity no longer lasts me for one week.

“I have warned my children not to put on the AC in my absence. I have explained to them that if we have to use the AC, I will have to keep over N100,000 for electricity in just one month. It is unsustainable.”

For John Uba, a resident of Apo, the rising electricity cost has prompted him to seek an alternative.

“I am installing solar in my house. I am doing it bit by bit, but once I am done, I will forget about NEPA. Their cost is becoming too much,” he said.

Although some areas have been on Band A for some time and residents in such areas have become accustomed to the rising cost of electricity, the current upgrades are unsettling residents in areas that have been newly upgraded.

One of the new areas currently unhappy with the upgrade is the Nyanya-Karu axis. While at the Nyanya AEDC office, many residents came to complain about the increased electricity tariff.

According to Grace, “I recharged N2,000 worth of electricity yesterday, and my meter was still blinking, so I was wondering what was wrong because, before, with this amount, the light would turn green, only for me to wake up today to hear the light crying. I am shocked.”

The Nyanya office referred all complaints to the Karu office. Mrs Obinna told Tribune that when she went to Karu, AEDC officials explained that the area had been upgraded to Band A.

Aondoakura Mike, a laundry shop operator, said: “They used to give 14 units for N1,000, but now it is four units for N1,000.”

He added: “It’s not as if electricity supply has improved in this area. Sometimes, we go a whole day without light. Nyanya is not supposed to be on Band A. How can an area that sometimes does not have electricity for up to two or three days be paying that much for electricity?”

Our findings in these areas revealed that electricity supply is average, with AEDC supplying electricity for between six and nine hours per day.

Residents told our reporter that they could not remember when the last time the areas had an uninterrupted electricity supply was for 24 hours.

Analysts said that Band A electricity in Nigeria is a service category under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), where consumers are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours of electricity supply daily.