Cost of electricity consumption in Nigeria, cheapest in the world- Power Minister, Aliyu
The Minister of State for Power, Engineer Abubakar Aliyu declared in Abuja that the cost of electricity consumption in Nigeria is the cheapest in the world.
Engineer Aliyu, made this revelation during an interactive session with the Senator Gabriel Suswam, PDP, Benue North East led Senate Committee on Power in Abuja.
Aliyu, while comparing the cost of electricity with other neighboring countries, declared that electricity is highly subsidized in Nigeria, particularly gas to Power by the federal government which made its cost to be cheapest across the globe.
“For example, while cost of electricity in Nigeria is 15 cent per kilowatt, it is 42 cent in Niger Republic, 23 cent in Republic of Benin, 25 cent in Mali, 28 cent in Senegal, 27 cent in Burkina Faso etc.”
Aliyu lamented that while government was doing everything possible to make electricity affordable and available for Nigerians, many of the ordinary consumers and even critical agencies of government, default in payment of bill.
On his part, the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN), Engineer Sulyman Abdulaziz said that high rate of defaults on electricity bills by critical government agencies led to disconnection of Electricity Distribution Companies ( DISCOs) in Kaduna and Kano from the National grid recently.
According to him, though they have been temporarily reconnected but must make payment through the affected DISCOs to TCN within 60 days.
Further, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam and other members like Senators Adamu Aliero , Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, among others reflected on the way forward by suggesting that the electricity bills of such agencies can be managed if the Ministry of Finance deducts from source.
Senator Suswam who noted that one of the complaints made by the DISCOs , particularly those of Kaduna and Kano was enormous debt incurred by them from electricity bills defaulters, said,
“The DISCOs as stated in the written complaint specifically mentioned military formations across the country, Educational Institutions, State Governments etc.”
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