The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has commenced the process of reviewing the Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2018 to end the seemingly perennial challenges with estimated billing in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by NERC via it’s Twitter handle on Wednesday.

It tweeted, “@nercng is in the process of reviewing the Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2018. The link below is for the consultation for comments from stakeholders and members of the public.”

READ: Electricity: FG approves one year waiver of import levy on meters

@nercng is in the process of reviewing the Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2018. The link below is for the consultation for comments from stakeholders and members of the public. @MobilePunch @THISDAYLIVE @daily_trust @ProfOsinbajo @GuardianNigeria https://t.co/uHTeUa4dvS

— NERC Nigeria (@NERCNG) February 24, 2021

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What you should know

• In December 2017, in its bid to end the seemingly perennial challenges with estimated billing in Nigeria, NERC released the Draft Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2017 (“Draft Regulations”).
• Thereafter, following extensive consideration of comments from and reactions to the Draft Regulations, as received from relevant stakeholders, the Board of NERC eventually approved the updated Draft Regulations.
• Consequently, on March 8, 2018, the Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2018 (“MAP Regulations”) was finally issued under the common seal of NERC and became effective as the governing framework for the metering of electricity consumption in the NESI.

The National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) Price Watch report released for the month of January 2021 shows that the average price per litre paid by consumers for National Household Kerosene declined by 0.64 % from N352.79  in December 2020 to N350.55 in January 2021.

Also, according to the report, the average price per gallon paid by consumers for National Household Kerosene increased by 1.32% from N1,175.59 in December 2020 to N1,191.13 in January 2021.

Consumers in (N441.67), Taraba (N430.00) and Lagos (N402.67) paid the highest average price per litre of kerosene while consumers in Bayelsa (N244.05), Rivers (N274.56) and Delta (N280.77) paid the lowest average price per litre of kerosene.

Similarly, consumers in Kebbi (N1,580.00), Nasarawa (N1,465.50) and Gombe (N1,435.56) paid the highest average price per gallon of kerosene while consumers in Bayelsa (N846.67), Rivers (N847.22) and Sokoto (N855.56) paid the lowest average price per gallon of kerosene.

What you should know

• Kerosene has remained an important source of energy for cooking for most families, both in rural areas and cities.
• In December 2020, consumers paid less for both per litre and gallon of Kerosene than they did in November 2020.
• This is a good development that the price per litre of Kerosene has been dropping since December 2020, considering that Kerosene is a product for the masses in the rural areas and thus their prices should be quite reasonable and affordable.