With the increase, the average price per kilowatt hour of electricity is now N10 instead of N8.50.
Electricity consumers had been expecting the new tariff to take effect in January 2012 as earlier announced by the Chairman, NERC, Mr. Sam Amadi.
Amadi had said during a stakeholders' meeting some weeks back that the new tariffs, which were to be announced this month, following the working out of all parameters associated with generation, transmission and distribution, had been delayed till 2012 as directed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that the deferment was to pave the way for proper implementation, adding, "This will, among other things, enable the commission to engage further with all relevant stakeholders for their understanding and also align the review dates with the calendar of most businesses, especially in the Nigerian electricity supply industry and the gas supply sector."
However, while briefing the chief executive officers of electricity distribution companies on the latest development, Amadi said that the marginal increase was approved in 2008 and that the commission was expected to inform the public as part of its commitment to transparency.
He, however, advised the distribution companies to ensure improved service delivery to their customers.
Amadi said, "The commission hereby reminds you of the responsibilities owed to your customers, particularly as regards the guidelines on customer complaints handling, connection and disconnection procedures, customer service standards of performance and meter reading.
"We will be resolute and uncompromising in ensuring compliance and imposing sanctions on chief executive officers and managers of companies that fall short of the required standards."
The NERC had in 2008 introduced the Multi-Year-Tariff-Order to ensure that prices of electricity were predictable and to mobilise the rquired funds for the industry.
This was expected to attract the needed private sector investments through a tariff system that would ensure fair returns on investments, while protecting customers against profiteering.
Although, the details of the new tariffs have not been made known except that the average consumer will be paying N10 per kwh, the lowest paying consumer in the rural area, who was charged N1.30 per kwh in 2009, paid N1.80 per kwh from July 1, 2010 till now, an increase of 38 per cent.
Also, the rate for a single phase residential customer was increased to N5.90 from N4.40 per kwh last July, an increase of 34 per cent under the MYTO.
The highest paying residential customer was billed at N12.50 per kwh, an increase of 33 per cent from the N9.40 that was being paid before July last year.
The lowest paying commercial customer that used to pay N7.40 per kwh in 2009, was charged N9.40, an increase of 27 per cent; while the highest paying commercial customer had their consumption rate fixed at N12.30 per kwh from N9.70 previously.
For industrial customers, the lowest category is currently paying N9.80 per kwh, from N7.90, while the highest category pays N12.90 per kwh from N12.30, a 25 per cent increase.
With the latest increase, however, the average price per kwh will be N10.
According to the MYTO plan, a unit of electricity sold for N6.00 in 2008, while government paid a subsidy of N5.20 per unit of electricity sold between July and December 2008, with the estimated cost of supply being N11.20.
For 2009, the average tariff price was expected to rise by N1.00 to N7.00, from N6 per unit, while the government would pay a subsidy of N3.40 with the estimated cost of supply for the year being N10.64.
In 2010, the tariff was expected to rise by N1.50 to N8.50, while the cost of supply would drop to N9.49 with the cost of subsidy dropping to N.99.
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