Over the last few years, there have been several changes in the power sector and one of such is the increasing use of prepaid meters.
With the use of prepaid meters has come a different method of billing and this method is based on 4 major things namely: location, tariff class, tariff rate and the quantity of consumed energy (in kWh)
In terms of location, there are 11 different electricity distribution companies in Nigeria and they are located in various regions of the country. They are called the DisCos and they include
- Enugu Distribution Company
- Kano Distribution Company
- Yola Distribution Company
- Jos Distribution Company
- Kaduna Distribution Company
- Abuja Distribution Company
- Port-Harcourt Distribution Company
- Benin Distribution Company
- Ikeja Distribution Company
- Ibadan Distribution Company
- Eko Distribution Company
Your electricity tariff is dependent on the DisCo that serves your area.
In terms of tariff class, the amount of money you spend on electricity depends on your tariff class. There are 5 classes and these include:
Class A. Residential: A high number of customers (and perhaps you too) belong to the residential class. They use electricity for a flat or house.
Class B. Commercial: The customers belonging to this class use electricity for other purposes besides residence such as offices or shops.
Class C. Industrial: Customers from this class use the premises only for manufacturing products. That’s why it’s called “Industrial.”
Class D. Special: Hospitals, government institutes, schools, religious houses, water boards, agriculture industries, universities, etc, belong to this class.
Class E. Street Lights belong to this class.
Generally, the tariff class depends on your class as well as the DisCos that serve you. However, the tariff classes are divided into sub-classes. The division is usually based on the average consumption of electricity by each class.
Electricity Tariffs in Nigeria
Here is the tariff for each DisCo as well as the sub-class for the years 2017 and 2018. All numbers are in N/kWh.
Enugu Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2S – 30.93 / 31.00
- R2T – 34.28 / 34.36
- R3 – 48.12 / 48.23
- R4 – 46.08 / 46.19
- C1S – 34.28 / 34.36
- C1T – 39.25 / 39.34
- C2 – 45.24 / 45.35
- C3 – 45.85 / 45.96
- D1S – 40.37 / 40.46
- D1T – 42.56 / 42.66
- D2 – 45.67 / 45.77
- D3 – 46.83 / 46.94
- A1S – 34.16 / 32.24
- A1T – 39.25 / 39.34
- A2 – 45.26 / 45.36
- A3 – 45.06 / 45.16
- L1 – 32.86 / 32.94
Kano Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2A – 22.50 / 25.46
- R2B – 29.61 / 33.50
- R3 – 42.63 / 48.24
- R4 – 42.63 / 48.24
- C1A – 23.69 / 26.81
- C1B – 29.62 / 33.51
- C2 – 40.27 / 45.56
- C3 – 40.27 / 45.56
- D1 – 31.98 / 36.18
- D2 – 41.45 / 46.90
- D3 – 14.45 / 46.90
- A1 – 28.79 / 31.98
- A2 – 28.79 / 31.98
- A3 – 28.79 / 31.98
- S1 – 22.39 / 24.87
Yola Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2S – 25.73 / 26.51
- R2T – 28.17 / 29.02
- R3 – 51.46 / 53.01
- R4 – 0.00 / 0.00
- C1S – 40.64 / 41.87
- C1T – 46.77 / 48.18
- C2 – 50.23 / 51.75
- C3 – 60.04 / 61.85
- D1S – 40.64 / 41.87
- D1T – 46.77 / 48.18
- D2 – 55.13 / 56.80
- D3 – 61.26 / 63.11
- A1S – 36.76 / 37.87
- A1T – 39.21 / 40.39
- A2 – 42.89 / 44.18
- A3 – 49.01 / 50.49
- L1 – 36.75 / 37.86
Jos Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2 – 29.81 / 30.93
- R3 – 45.76 / 47.64
- R4 – 45.76 / 47.64
- C1 – 42.65 / 44.72
- C2 – 45.55 / 47.29
- C3 – 45.55 / 47.29
- D1 – 42.64 / 44.15
- D2 – 41.54 / 43.25
- D3 – 40.40 / 41.05
- A1 – 44.65 / 46.23
- A2 – 44.65 / 46.23
- A3 – 44.65 / 46.23
- S1 – 44.98 / 46.57
Kaduna Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2-SP – 27.40 / 28.75
- R2-TP – 32.33 / 33.93
- R3 – 42.74 / 44.85
- R4 – 48.77 / 51.18
- C1 – 31.20 / 32.73 C2 – 39.73 / 41.69
- C3 – 47.13 / 49.45
- D1 – 34.11 / 35.79
- D2 – 40.28 / 42.26
- D3 – 47.13 / 49.45
- A1 – 35.34 / 37.09
- A2 – 41.10 / 43.13
- A3 – 47.13 / 49.45
- L1 – 41.10 / 43.13
Abuja Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2 – 24.30 / 24.03
- R3 – 47.09 / 45.72
- R4 – 47.09 / 45.72
- C1 – 37.39 / 36.25
- C2 – 47.09 / 45.72
- C3 – 47.09 / 45.72
- D1 – 36.07 / 34.96
- D2 – 47.09 / 45.72
- D3 – 47.09 / 45.72
- A1 – 35.74 / 34.63
- A2 – 35.74 / 34.63
- A3 – 35.74 / 34.63
- S1 – 27.14 / 26.54
Port-Harcourt Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2 – 30.23 / 31.78
- R3 – 48.39 / 50.81
- R4 – 50.76 / 53.30
- C1 – 38.96 / 40.86
- C2 – 46.72 / 49.04
- C3 – 48.39 / 50.81
- D1 – 41.81 / 42.64
- D2 – 46.72 / 49.04
- D3 – 48.39 / 50.81
- A1 – 40.60 / 42.64
- A2 – 45.58 / 47.97
- A3 – 49.07 / 51.52
- S1 – 40.62 / 42.64
Benin Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2S – 31.27 / 31.27
- R2T – 34.40 / 34.40
- R3 – 40.46 / 40.46
- R4 – 40.46 / 40.46
- C1S – 34.90 / 34.90
- C1T – 36.27 / 36.27
- C2 – 38.11 / 38.11
- C3 – 38.11 / 38.11
- D1S – 35.62 / 35.62
- D1T – 37.94 / 37.94
- D2 – 39.29 / 39.29
- D3 – 37.71 / 39.29
- A1S – 33.00 / 33.00
- A1T – 33.97 / 33.97
- A2 – 35.27 / 35.27
- A3 – 35.27 / 35.27
- L1 – 36.26 / 36.26
Ikeja Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2SP – 21.10 / 18.94
- R2TP – 21.73 / 21.15
- R3 – 35.68 / 31.62
- R4 – 36.11 / 32.00
- C1SP – 25.56 / 21.76
- C1TP – 27.59 / 24.45
- C2 – 36.91 / 32.47
- C3 – 37.30 / 32.81
- D1 – 27.93 / 24.56
- D2 – 37.54 / 33.02
- D3 – 37.99 / 33.42
- A1 – 26.23 / 23.24
- A2 – 29.53 / 26.17
- A3 – 26.69 / 26.31
- S1 – 18.99 / 16.83
Ibadan Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2 – 24.97 / 25.71
- R3 – 44.66 / 45.98
- R4 – 44.66 / 45.98
- C1 – 29.91 / 30.79
- C2 – 45.03 / 43.27
- C3 – 45.03 / 43.27
- D1 – 33.70 / 34.70
- D2 – 45.40 / 46.74
- D3 – 45.40 / 46.74 A1 – 32.26 / 33.22
- A2 – 32.26 / 33.22
- A3 – 32.26 / 33.22
- S1 – 24.93 / 25.66
Eko Distribution Company
- R1 – 4.00 / 4.00
- R2S – 22.34 / 20.47
- R2T – 28.39 / 26.02
- R3 – 29.18 / 26.74
- R4 – 29.18 / 26.74
- C1S – 22.90 / 20.98
- C1T – 28.60 / 26.20
- C2 – 32.50 / 29.78
- C3 – 32.50 / 29.78
- D1S – 24.68 / 22.62
- D1T – 28.74 / 26.34
- D2 – 33.05 / 30.29
- D3 – 33.05 / 30.29
- A1S – 22.96 / 21.04
- A1T – 22.96 / 21.04
- A2 – 22.96 / 21.04
- A3 – 22.96 / 21.04
- L1 – 22.17 / 20.32
It would be recalled that in 2015, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) under the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) introduced a new electricity tariff which became effective on the 1st of February, 2016. The increase was estimated to be about 45%.
Under the new tariff, residential customer category (R2) in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi states, served by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) franchise that previously paid N14 per kilowatt/hour, will now pay N23.60 per kilowatt/hour.
Also, residential customers in Eko and Ikeja Electricity Distribution areas increased their energry charges by a N10 and N8 increase respectively.
The same situation applied to residential customers in Kaduna and Benin Electricity Distribution Companies with an increase of N11.05 and N9.26, respectively, in their energy charges.