Paying for Darkness in Nigeria as Heatwave Intensifies
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Given the current economic hardship occasioned by hunger, food scarcity, and high inflation rate amongst others, hope seems to elude Nigerians on many fronts. Not discounting the harsh climate conditions, the epileptic power supply nationwide worsened by the recent hike in the cost of electricity by over 300 per cent, has only exacerbated the already sorry state of common Nigerians, Sunday Ehigiator writes
“My life is over. Nigeria has happened to me. Where do I begin? These are goods worth over N5 million which I was supplied yesterday evening. They are all spoiled.
“When they were supplying me the goods, there was light but they took it before they finished offloading the goods from the truck. So I closed at around past 8 and left all the freezers with the hope they would restore power from 10 pm to 10 am as they used to do.
“Mind you today is Thursday, due to the environment in Lagos state every Thursday I don’t come to shop till 11 am. Also, I took that time to do some house chores, so I didn’t get to shop till 2 pm the next day. Only for me to get to shop, open the freezer and be confronted by the offensive smell of spoiled fish and turkey.
“They didn’t restore power since the time they took it before I left the shop. Now all my goods which I am yet to fully pay for have all been spoiled. Where do I start from?
“My name is Imisi Ogunlano, I sell frozen foods such as fish, turkey, gizzard and chicken here at Mile 12 market.”
The poor electricity supply being experienced across the country has worsened the situation for many businesses and Nigerians at large.
Ogunlano’s experience reflects the current situation of many business entities that solely depend on power to operate in Nigeria.
Impact on business
The lack of power supply has increased production costs for many businesses forced to provide their electricity, mostly using diesel-run generators as alternative sources of electricity.
While some who can’t afford to fuel their generator to run for at least a minimum of 15 hours a day are already out of business, others who can are battling with low patronage due to the cost implication of the high cost of fuel, dollar rate, inflation, etc. on their goods or services.
In June 2015, Nigerian manufacturers said they spent as much as N3.5 trillion annually to generate alternative power for their production operations due to the collapse of the public electricity supply.
In June 2023, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said it loses N10.1 trillion annually to a power crisis, just as the World Bank said that Nigeria will need about $100 billion in the next 10 years to tackle the challenges in its energy sector.
Power supply at an all-time low
Electricity supply in Nigeria is currently at its all-time lowest. Across social media platforms, Nigerians have lamented the epileptic power supply and on many occasions have called out the nation’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and accused him of being clueless.
On Sunday, February 4, 2024, Nigeria’s electricity grid collapsed yet again, throwing several cities including the nation’s capital Abuja, into darkness.
According to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), the collapse was a “result of a system failure from the national grid at 11:21 am today, February 4, 2024, which has led to a nationwide power outage.”
The latest collapse occurred less than two months after the national grid system collapsed in December and Nigerians were thrown into darkness.
In recent years, Nigeria’s power sector has experienced broad challenges such as electricity policy enforcement, regulatory uncertainty, gas supply, transmission system constraints, and major power sector planning shortfalls.
On February 2, the federal government attributed the main cause of poor power supply in the country to the low supply of gas to Generating Companies (GenCos).
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adelabu, who disclosed this in a statement, said “Power supply during the yuletide improved, but unfortunately, we’ve experienced setbacks in the New Year. After investigations, it’s clear that the main cause of poor power supply is the low supply of gas to GenCos.”
Nigeria has struggled with poor power supply for decades, a challenge that is estimated to cost businesses about $29 billion yearly, according to the World Bank.
The country has the lowest access to electricity globally, with about 92 million persons out of the country’s 200 million population lacking access to power, according to the Energy Progress Report 2022 released by Tracking SDG 7.
Also, a World Bank report in 2021 revealed that a total of 74 per cent of power users in the country are dissatisfied with the supply of electricity across the country while 93 per cent of metered power users paid their bills regularly, 78 per cent of electricity consumers in the country received less than 12 hours of power supply daily.
Earlier in February 2024, women protested at the office of the power distribution company in Port Harcourt, saying their husbands no longer make love with them at night due to excessive heat and poor power supply.
Many also lamented the high cost of fuel which is the consequence of the removal of subsidy on petroleum products by President Bola Tinubu. The high cost of fuel has denied many the opportunities to provide electricity through generator sets.
Indeed, Nigerians are displeased with the worsened power situation in the country which the heatwave has worsened occasioned by the harsh climate conditions.
Concerning heatwaves in Nigeria
The weather all over the country has been relatively hot for over two months. Some Nigerians had joked about someone forgetting to lock the gate of hell, or Nigeria sharing a boundary with hellfire or moving several steps towards the sun.
While many complained of not sleeping at night and having to enter the shower severally to soak their body in water, which is also warm, some others were captured on social media wetting their beds with large buckets of water before lying down and still waking up on a dried bed.
The worst part for Nigerians is the lack of electricity supply by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to power their Air Conditioner (AC), which a normal 220 KVA generator cannot power.
Nigerians now attribute the Air Conditioner (AC), as a luxury, as it is the only solution to the heatwave, after being frustrated with fans, which are now also blowing hot air.
Despite the rain recorded for a few days, February has never really been a cold month in Nigerian cities. However, temperatures have never been this bad.
In previous years, according to an online resource, Weather to Travel, the average temperature in Lagos in February for a typical day ranged from a high of 85°F (30°C) to a low of 78°F (25°C).
For comparison, the hottest month in Lagos, March, has days with highs of 85°F (30°C) and lows of 78°F (25°C), but March, 2024 saw temperatures rise to as high as 39°C and even peaked at almost 40°C.
NiMET’s warning
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) issued a weather prediction alert, warning of the likelihood of heat stress and thunderstorms across various parts of the country.
The agency made the predictions in its Weather Report released in Abuja.
According to NiMet, the heat index over Nigeria is expected to soar, with strong prospects of heat stress in many regions, urging the public to take necessary precautions.
The agency emphasised the importance of staying well-hydrated and avoiding strenuous physical activities, especially during the peak hours between 12 noon and 4 pm.
It added, “Wear shades and hats when you’re outdoors and keep the infants well aerated.”
Hike in electricity tariff
Despite the massive drop in electricity supply, preceding protests, current heatwaves and the hardship the drop in supply and the heatwave have brought on business entities in the country and Nigerians at large, on April 1, 2024, like it were an ‘April Fool’ joke, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) ordered the immediate upward review of electricity tariffs, effective from April 3.
The NERC Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni, disclosed this while speaking at a press conference in Abuja.
Mr Oseni explained that only electricity customers in Band A would be affected by the increase.
He noted that the increase would not affect Bands B, C, D and E while noting that the number of customers previously on Band A has been reduced.
Band-A customers are offered an average daily electricity supply of 20 hours, although many complain they do not get up to that.
The official said the Band A consumers represent 15 per cent of the population but consume 40 per cent of the nation’s electricity.
According to him, power distribution companies (DisCos) will be allowed to raise electricity prices to N225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from the initial N68.
NERC a ‘Double Speak’?
NERC had in January said the Nigerian government will pay as much as N1.6 trillion to subsidise electricity in the year 2024.
Unveiling a new electricity tariff plan payable by electricity consumers in the country at the time, the Chairperson of the NERC, Sanusi Garba, said the order states appropriate tariffs that consumers should pay for investors to recover their operating costs.
Mr Garba explained that the order contains the federal government’s policy on ensuring that due to the cost-of-living crisis, consumers will not be made to pay higher than the previous rates.
“The order seeks that prices charged by DisCos are fair to customers and are sufficient to allow DisCos to fully recover the efficient cost of operation, including a reasonable return on the capital invested in the business under section 116 of the Electricity Act 2023,” Mr Garba said.
He added that the tariff order contains the appropriate tariff that DisCos should be charging if they are to remain in business while noting that the rates are very clear.
Abuja Disco (AEDC) defiance of NERC order
In defiance of the order by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), that the upward tariff review only affects Band A customers, Abuja Disco, also known as Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) affected over 300 per cent increase across all the Bands, thereby prompting immediate reactions from its customers and the NERC.
AEDC apologise
Apologising in a statement on Thursday, the AEDC said it was aware of the wrong charges faced by some Band A customers who tried to recharge their meters following the new tariff regime.
“This is to inform customers across the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) franchise that we are aware of the wrong charges faced by some Band A customers who tried to recharge their meters following the new tariff regime.
“This was due to a system glitch caused by the reclassification of some Band A Customers who have now been downgraded to Band B due to the number of hours of electricity supply enjoyed over the past few weeks.
“These erstwhile Band A customers who vented were charged the new tariff of N225 per Kilowatt Hour. Our team is working to identify the customers affected and all excess charges will be refunded,” it said.
It said the situation also saw some Band A customers who are now charged N225 vend at the old rate. Once the glitch is resolved, the AEDC said this category of customers will now recharge their meters at the new rate of N225, which will ensure they enjoy a minimum supply of 20 hours daily.