The Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors (ANED) says the priority of the Distribution Companies (DisCos) at the moment is the safety of their employees and customers, not tariff increment.

Mr Sunday Oduntan, Executive Director, Research and Documentation of ANED,  said in Lagos, while reacting to suspension of the proposed hike in electricity tariffs.

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had on Tuesday ordered the 11 DisCos to suspend the tariffs increment, which which was supposed to take effect on April 1, in view of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

Oduntan said: “As far as the DisCos are concerned, we are all aware of the national emergency situation, and we are just concerned now with the safety of our workers,  safety of our customers and safety of the nation.

“That is more important than any other thing at the moment.”

NERC had conducted public hearings on the DisCos proposal to increase their tariffs from Feb. 25 to March 9 across the country.

One of the DisCos, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, had proposed a tariff increase, which would raise the average tariff from the current level of N28.25 per kilowatt to N42.41 per kilowatt.

Similarly,  Ikeja Electric had proposed 50 per cent increment that would raise

the average tariff from the current level of N27.30 per kilowatt to N40.95 per kilowatt.