₦airaland Forum

The electricity is bad and terrible since November. As a band A customer we are not getting the agreed minimum power of electricity each day.

Yet they are still charging for band A.

Tinubu government is full of failures

His team members (people he appointed) are so clueless and incompetent

Everyone on Band A, gather here! Since November, the electricity supply has been bad and terrible. We are NOT getting the agreed minimum hours of power each day that we are paying a premium for.

Yet, they are still charging us Band A rates. This is unacceptable! We are paying for a promise they are not keeping.

So, here is what we must do: It is time to demand COMPENSATION.

For everyone who sees this message, I want you to go on any of your social media platform Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram and POST.

Let’s make our voices heard. Use the hashtag:

#DemandBandACompensation

Tag the electricity distribution companies, the regulator (NERC), and relevant government agencies. Our message is clear:

We are being charged for what was promised, not for what we are getting. We demand accountability and compensation for the failed service.

Copy, paste, and post. Let’s trend this until they respond! Enough is enough.

#DemandBandACompensation #BandA #Light #NoLight #NERC #PowerFailure

· Imagine if you owe NEPA money, or you bypass light—they will treat you like a criminal, bring police to oppress you.
· Yet, after YOU bought the poles, YOU contribute to fix the transformer when it spoils, it is THEM that collects the service fee for light they do not provide.

This is unfair! This is cheating! And we must stand as one to fight this injustice from all these big companies.

They use force to collect, but use excuses to deliver. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

This is a fight for all Nigerians who are tired of paying for darkness. Share your story everywhere.
Use the hashtag:
#DemandBandACompensation
#LightWeNoSee
Tag them: @NERCNG @DisCos @GovtOfficial.

Sirchiboy

lilsmart:
· Imagine if you owe NEPA money, or you bypass light—they will treat you like a criminal, bring police to oppress you.
· Yet, after YOU bought the poles, YOU contribute to fix the transformer when it spoils, it is THEM that collects the service fee for light they do not provide.

This is easy

Most Nigerians don't pay cost reflective tarrifs for electric power. Far more than those who pay cost reflective tarrifs.
The result is that NEPA (which ceased to exist in 2004 by the way, but for convenience sake..)...cannot buy poles or fix transformers because it is not earning enough profit to do so.

Infact things are so bad , that gencos alone are owed 4 trillion naira, which even government is struggling to pay. DISCOS often times have to resort to police and so forth to get people to pay, but even then more and more often disco workers are attacked and chased away by cutlass wielding customers, who then continue to steal power in the name of 'we are poor'. Whole areas don't even pay for light. And 60% of metered customers bypass the meters.

Even when you have companies providing a decent amount of light like Prof Nnaji's Geothermals in Abuja, people will protest that he is 'charging too high'. Funny thing is that he is charging at N186 .

It's like the situation during my primary school and secondary school days. I went to a private primary school, and my parents paid five times what government was charging at the nearest government primary school to my house...yet I did not have to buy any exercise books in all my years there except twice (once because the supplier was late, another time, because it was urgent I got a book on a weekend), even biro and so forth. Friends who went to the government school had to buy exercise books, biros, and pencils, despite going to a SUPPOSEDLY cheaper school.

Secondary school, government run...had to buy all my books, even make my desk...and the fees were supposedly cheap.

I am sure you will say I am defending bad service. No, I am showing you that we get bad service because we do not pay the discos enough cash to enable them provide good service. When the majority of people think that electricity is supposed to be too cheap or free...because we are an oil producing country..lol...and because our papa got free things..lol no 2....at the end the power companies cannot get enough profit to fix things...that's when you start to buy your poles and wires and contribute to pay for transformer...and that's when you also have power companies victimising people who are their loyal customers because they effing have no choice.

We need something like 15 trillion naira annually to fix power. Profits in the sector, last i checked, are less than a trillion naira yearly. LOL.

fineboynl:
The electricity is bad and terrible since November. As a band A customer we are not getting the agreed minimum power of electricity each day.

Yet they are still charging for band A.

1.Gas supplies have been shitty these past 2 weeks. NO update as at when the situation would be solved.

2.Underpaying a company makes said company give you underservice.

THE REASON IS BECAUSE ..........
TINUBU SAID IN 2023 THAT BY ALL MEANS HE WILL PROVIDE ELECTRICITY .. OTHERWISE, NIGERIANS SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR HIM IN FUTURE ELECTIONS.

LETS NOT BREACH THIS COVENANT ... KEEP THE COVENANT ...... DONT VOTE FOR HIM

Is this a nationwide issue because same thing is happening here.
The DISCOs ought to be giving daily updates on status of this current epileptic supply.

I'm on Band A and my electricity is okay here.

The bandit Tariff

Can’t government admit that it has failed to deliver power to Nigerians and remove customs duty on solar products??

GodPunishOsu:
I'm on Band A and my electricity is okay here.

Where What area?

A country struggling to generate 5000MW for 200million people, while other smaller African countries generate more. What a shame. If you need peace of mind in your home, just go solar

I'm in band A also
Steady light in my side....24/7

Shifi1:
I'm in band A also
Steady light in my side....24/7

What is your area?

lilsmart:
Everyone on Band A, gather here! Since November, the electricity supply has been bad and terrible. We are NOT getting the agreed minimum hours of power each day that we are paying a premium for.

Yet, they are still charging us Band A rates. This is unacceptable! We are paying for a promise they are not keeping.

So, here is what we must do: It is time to demand COMPENSATION.

For everyone who sees this message, I want you to go on any of your social media platform Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram and POST.

Let’s make our voices heard. Use the hashtag:

#DemandBandACompensation

Tag the electricity distribution companies, the regulator (NERC), and relevant government agencies. Our message is clear:

We are being charged for what was promised, not for what we are getting. We demand accountability and compensation for the failed service.

Copy, paste, and post. Let’s trend this until they respond! Enough is enough.

#DemandBandACompensation #BandA #Light #NoLight #NERC #PowerFailure

Electricity is a social service,it's not supposed to be for profit,certain jurisdictions can be given to private companies to run,like banana island, ikoyi,maitama etc,but the majority of the areas should be run by government not to make profit but to provide a service.

The problem is government can hardly run anything in NIGERIA

fineboynl

The problem is that gas companies are cutting down their gas supply because the FG owes them #1.3 trillion.

How can someone be supplying a product and not being paid for it? I think the government wants to pay them through a bond. The government has started the process.

These are obviously bots or paid commentators.

obonujoker:
What is your area?

SmartPolician:
fineboynl

The problem is that gas companies are cutting down their gas supply because the FG owes them #1.3 trillion.

How can someone be supplying a product and not being paid for it? I think the government wants to pay them through a bond. The government has started the process.

how does that affect the band A?

Band A people are not part of the subsidy anymore.

nairalanda1:
1.Gas supplies have been shitty these past 2 weeks. NO update as at when the situation would be solved.

2.Underpaying a company makes said company give you underservice.

Anything to cover the ass of Tinubu and his bunch of failures

thisisit:
THE REASON IS BECAUSE ..........
TINUBU SAID IN 2023 THAT BY ALL MEANS HE WILL PROVIDE ELECTRICITY .. OTHERWISE, NIGERIANS SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR HIM IN FUTURE ELECTIONS.

LETS NOT BREACH THIS COVENANT ... KEEP THE COVENANT ...... DONT VOTING FOR HIM

When he wins in 2027, just be prepared to pack your Ghana must go straw bag, & relocate on self exile to Accra to join your cousin David Hundeyin.

tito44:
Anything to cover the ass of Tinubu and his bunch of failures

If u were any better than them bunch of Tinubu’s failures, u wouldn’t have been here on nairaland wailing this morning.

tito44:
Anything to cover the ass of Tinubu and his bunch of failures

1.Gas supplies have been low...it's been on the news actually.Also.... Gencos owe the gas man 4 trillion naira. Government has been trying to pay off that debt through a 'bond' (which sounds iffy to me, but there we are).

2.The main issue with power supply is simple. We ain't paying what we need to get 24 hours a day power. Nothing to do with defending tinubu, unless you want to assume I am defending all the leaders since 1978 when the blackouts started.

IN brief

Massive Debt Accumulation: Gencos invoice billions monthly but receive only a fraction, resulting in N4-N5 trillion in outstanding payments by late 2025.

Low Revenue Collection: Discos struggle with poor billing and collection efficiency (around 75%), failing to recover costs from consumers.

Metering Gap: A huge portion of customers (over 50%) are unmetered, leading to estimated billing and revenue loss.

Tariff Distortions: Tariffs aren't always cost-reflective, discouraging investment and creating financial gaps.

Systemic Losses: High Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection (ATC&C) losses further strain finances.

Government Arrears: The government owes power generators significant amounts for electricity consumed, compounding the crisis.

Spot the odd one out. And even then, everything boils down to low income.

Note that when I say Nigerians, that includes government, the people rich and poor, and even companies.

When you don't pay discos and gencos their money, they can't give you good service. Infact underpayment has been an issue even long before 2013 when the discos and gencos came around. When you underpay a company, you can't expect good supply.

(For a better understanding, read the online article 'Solving the liquidity crunch in the power sector)




P.S

Anyone who disagrees with you is not a tinubu supporter. You really should calm down man. I too don't support this government. Or any government for obvious reaosns. And if anyone else was in power, from any party, my concliusons won't change.

60% of people bypassing meters, plus only 20% paying cost reflective tarrifs does not translate to profits. And as regarding the argument that nigerians will pay well if the service was good...see Aba town where service is very good, yet people complain of high prices.

For a better understanding of the power crunch in Nigeria, the below is a recommended starter pack reading


Solving the liquidity crunch in the Nigerian power sector...a PwC report.


Also, from google AI..here is why we have gas shortages...

Circular Debt: Distribution companies (DisCos) don't collect enough revenue due to low tariffs, so they underpay Gencos, who then can't pay gas suppliers, causing gas supply cuts.

Huge Arrears: Debts owed to Gencos and gas suppliers run into trillions of Naira (e.g., N2.7 trillion in late 2024), hindering operations.

Supply Disruptions: Gas producers curtail supply to Gencos because they aren't getting paid, leading to reduced power generation and national grid instability.

Sauce

It all starts at the bolded. Low tarrifs...because we are poor.

fineboynl:
how does that affect the band A?

Band A people are not part of the subsidy anymore.

IN prnciple, the above is true. In practice, Nigeria generates enough to supply Lagos town with half its power needs.

Also, remember gencos owe the gas companies a lot of debt in part because majority of their customers..the non band A customers, underpay them...so no profit, no money...DEBT....gas companes decide they won't supply until they are paid.

The N4 Trillion Debt: The question is what services are we owing them for? This is crucial.
I personally argue that if power supply was not provided, or was grossly inadequate, the debt is illegitimate or inflated.

I see it as a debt for failed service, not for power consumed.

owners of this disco using a car of 400 million naira having private jets" If the companies are claiming unprofitability and an inability to maintain infrastructure, such extravagant spending by owners is seen as evidence of corruption, mismanagement, and wealth extraction from a broken system.

Why pay for what you don't get?

My disagreement stems from two valid perspectives one focused on economic sustainability and the other on accountability and systemic corruption.


Lastly

Make nobody ever come tell me say light business no dey yield profit.
If one estate for inside Lagos or Abuja fit give their people 24 hours light, collect money, still make profit for inside
Na Disco wey get whole state to supply, more houses, more money to make. You dey talk say dem no dey see profit?


E no add up.

nairalanda1:
This is easy

Most Nigerians don't pay cost reflective tarrifs for electric power. Far more than those who pay cost reflective tarrifs.
The result is that NEPA (which ceased to exist in 2004 by the way, but for convenience sake..)...cannot buy poles or fix transformers because it is not earning enough profit to do so.

Infact things are so bad , that gencos alone are owed 4 trillion naira, which even government is struggling to pay. DISCOS often times have to resort to police and so forth to get people to pay, but even then more and more often disco workers are attacked and chased away by cutlass wielding customers, who then continue to steal power in the name of 'we are poor'. Whole areas don't even pay for light. And 60% of metered customers bypass the meters.


We need something like 15 trillion naira annually to fix power. Profits in the sector, last i checked, are less than a trillion naira yearly. LOL.

A disgraced country struggling on all fronts.

Tinubu, Adelabu, NERC, DisCos are fraudulent. The light has been so bad, even with band A. How will it not, when the peak as of last week was 3900 mw for 260 million people.

lilsmart:
The N4 Trillion Debt: The question is what services are we owing them for? This is crucial.
I personally argue that if power supply was not provided, or was grossly inadequate, the debt is illegitimate or inflated.

I see it as a debt for failed service, not for power consumed.

On the other hand, when you don't pay for service, the discos and gencos can't make the profits needed to imrpvoe things

Remember the GSM companies. We paid them high amounts for bad services...which they used to make things better.

I mean, GSM was bad. So bad that you could not make calls between networks (that's how owning multiple lines started in this country)..and service was so poor and let's even start with the fact that there was no GSM infrastructre on the ground. We paid high cost relfective prices, complained a lot (even on television), before eventually the profits kicked in and things improved.

Discos and gencos inherited bad electricity supply infrastructure...yet nigerians, rich, poor and the government, underpay them. And yet we expect improved services. That is not possible.

owners of this disco using a car of 400 million naira having private jets" If the companies are claiming unprofitability and an inability to maintain infrastructure, such extravagant spending by owners is seen as evidence of corruption, mismanagement, and wealth extraction from a broken system.

Why pay for what you don't get?

Yeah it's bad, but ultimately what is needed to fix things is in the trillions , not the millions.

(Note that I am not defending anyone by the way)

My disagreement stems from two valid perspectives one focused on economic sustainability and the other on accountability and systemic corruption.

Economic sustainabilty works when everyone pays a sustainable price to begin with. Our not doing that is why we lost one government run phone company, four refineries, and why nepa was godawful and why power supply is still godawful

Lastly

Make nobody ever come tell me say light business no dey yield profit.
If one estate for inside Lagos or Abuja fit give their people 24 hours light, collect money, still make profit for inside
Na Disco wey get whole state to supply, more houses, more money to make. You dey talk say dem no dey see profit?


E no add up.

Also, most Lagosians pay subsidised prices, or don't pay at all. Any losses made in the whole of Lagos would wipe out the profits made in one estate. (AND even in that estate, people would be bypassing meters.)

Abuja is even worse. Abuja city is part of a five state rregion. Abuja city yields a profit, but the rest of the zone is loss making, meaning any profit made in the city is useless

Remember also that only 20% of the country in principle pays a cost reflective tarriff. The rest don't . GSM customers all pay cost reflective tarrifs, which is why they CAN make a profit to improve and expand services.

Also, continuing on from the above paragraph, that is why power sector has difficulty attracting investors. When tarrifs are kept low for the majority plus the majority are not paying or underpaying..even when tarrifs are kept low, that means potential low ROI. That means that the sector is not going to attract investors money. And they need quite a lot.

When you make people poor to makes ends meet, you still blame them for ineffectiveness of DisCos.

Believe me when I say generation is not the problem but distributing it is the problem The discos have refused to Spend money to improve and modernize The distribution Center acquired from Napa

Alphafarms:
A country struggling to generate 5000MW for 200million people, while other smaller African countries generate more. What a shame. If you need peace of mind in your home, just go solar