Electricity Tariff Hike: Senate Suspends Debate Over Court Order

• The Senate suspended its debate on the electricity tariff hike due to an ongoing court case, consulting the legal department
• A federal high court ruling in Kano granted an interim order restraining NERC from implementing the tariff hike for Band A customers

On Thursday, the Senate suspended its debate on the electricity tariff hike due to an ongoing court case. This decision followed the presentation and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Power, which was read by its chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, during the plenary session.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had previously announced an increase in electricity tariffs, a move that was met with widespread protests from Nigerians, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). In response to the outcry, the Senate mandated its Committee on Power to conduct an oversight investigation into the matter.

During Thursday’s session, the Senate had progressed significantly in its debate on the tariff hike when Senator Titus Zam, Chairman of Senate Rules and Business, raised a point of order. He noted that the lawmakers could not continue debating a pending issue in court. Following this point of order, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, who was presiding over the session, decided to suspend the debate. He indicated that the Senate’s legal department would be consulted before any further discussions on the matter.

After suspending the debate, Barau adjourned the plenary session until the following Tuesday.

The suspension of the Senate debate aligns with a recent federal high court ruling in Kano, which granted an interim order restraining NERC from implementing the tariff hike for Band A customers in the state. The court directed Kano Electricity Distribution Plc to halt the implementation of the tariff increase from N76.54/Kwh to N225/Kwh. Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, who issued the order, instructed NERC and the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) to refrain from taking any further action until the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed by the applicants.