A renowned energy analyst and media executive, Ikechukwu Amaechi, has described the much hyped ‘Band A’ classification as a ‘complete fraud’.
This is as he said the policy has failed to deliver the promised level of service by the Minister.
Amaechi, who is the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Acclaim Communications Limited, made these remarks during an interview on Breakfast Central, a News Central morning programme, on Tuesday.
According to him, despite living and operating a business in areas officially designated as Band A—areas supposedly guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours of electricity supply daily—his experience has been disappointing.
He said, “This so-called banding of electricity supply, Band A, is a fraud. A complete fraud.”
“I live in an area they said is Band A. My office is off Allen Avenue, again, Band A. When this Band A thing came, we were told that we must have about 20 hours of electricity supply a day.
“Go and ask anybody who is in this Band A scam, whether they get up to 10 hours. Where I live, I don’t even get 10 hours,” Amaechi said.
He pointed out that despite the poor service, his electricity tariff has surged, more than tripling in cost since the reclassification.
“My bill has been raised from about N62 per kilowatt-hour to N206 per kilowatt-hour,” he lamented.
Recall that Nigerians have been groaning under growing national outrage. And those classified under Band A, have been complaining.
Amaechi, therefore, argued that the recent tariff hikes are unjustified given the persistent supply shortfalls.
Recall also that under the structure approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Band A customers are expected to receive at least 20 hours of power supply daily.
However, multiple accounts from affected consumers suggest that many experience far less. With some areas reporting up to 14-hour outages on a regular basis.
“I feel cheated,” said one Abuja resident, classified under Band A, who declined to give her name.
“They said we would be prioritized in electricity distribution. But since the new tariffs started, the situation has actually gotten worse in my area,” she said.
However, the concerns raised by customers notwithstanding, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has remained largely silent.
The general accusations have been that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are failing to meet service obligations while charging premium rates.
Following this development, therefore, energy sector experts have expressed disappointment with the policy. They are now calling for a full government audit of the Band A classification process. This is to ensure that only customers who truly receive the promised levels of supply are subjected to the higher tariffs.
One of the experts, Dr. Musa Lawal, expressed dissatisfaction with the development.
He said, “Without a transparent audit, the Band A system risks further eroding public trust.
“Tariff hikes must be tied to measurable improvements in service delivery. Or the system will continue to collapse under the weight of consumer dissatisfaction,” Lawal said.