PUNCH
President Bola Tinubu has advised Nigerians to adopt better energy management practices to cope with rising electricity bills.
“It’s not negative to learn to manage. You learn to control your electricity bill, switch off the light, let’s learn to manage,” Tinubu said on Monday during a media chat at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The President also dismissed the idea of price control, stating, “I don’t believe in price control, we will work hard to supply the market.”
Since his inauguration in May 2023, energy costs have surged following the removal of the petrol subsidy and an increase in electricity tariffs.
Petrol prices have skyrocketed from less than ₦200 per litre to over ₦1,100 in parts of the country, while the naira has depreciated significantly, plummeting from around ₦700/$ to as low as ₦1,600/$.
The President defended his reforms earlier in the chat, saying that he had no regrets about removing the fuel subsidy.
He said the subsidy was draining the country’s resources and jeopardising future investments.
In April 2024, the electricity regulatory commission raised tariffs for customers under the Band A classification, increasing rates from ₦66 per kilowatt-hour to ₦225.
The hike, coupled with economic hardships, has drawn widespread criticism from Nigerians already grappling with inflation and reduced purchasing power.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN PUNCH
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