The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued a directive to power distribution companies to refund overbilled Band B customers by April 11, 2024.

The directive, issued on Saturday, pertains to the implementation of the April 2024 supplementary Multi-Year Tariff Order. It follows grievances raised by customers not categorized under Band A, who are now facing a charge of N225 per kilowatt-hour (KWh) for electricity.

Addressing the issue, a spokesperson from NERC stated, “All DisCos shall ensure that only the newly approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders are maintained as Band A for the purpose of vending to prepaid customers and billing for postpaid customers on their networks.”

Moreover, the DisCos have been mandated to promptly publish on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders affected by the rate revision. Additionally, they must establish a portal on their websites by April 10, 2024, allowing customers to verify their current bands using their meter or account numbers.

Furthermore, the commission directed that customers incorrectly billed at the new rate must be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday, April 11, 2024. DisCos are also required to submit evidence of compliance with the commission by April 12, 2024.