The Federal Government has said that about 85 per cent of Nigerians still enjoy the electricity subsidy in the country, despite the over N1tn that would be saved from the fresh tariff hike.
It stated this in response to the continued reactions from Nigerians over the increment in electricity tariff recently announced for Band A customers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
The NERC had on April 3 announced the tariff increment for Band A power consumers from N68 to N225 per kilowatt-hour with immediate effect.
The regulator had said the new tariff signified a removal of electricity subsidy for Band A consumers who constitute about 15 per cent of the total number of power users across the country.
However, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Rabiu Ibrahim, on Saturday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said 85 per cent of the Nigerian population who fall under different categorisations of the new electricity supply regime still enjoy the subsidy.