South East Electricity Consumers Association, SEECA, has described the approval of special compensation for eligible Band A electricity customers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, as a welcome development.
DAILY POST recalls that NERC approved the compensation for customers affected by grid generation constraints between February and March 2026.
Speaking with newsmen in Enugu on Monday, the Coordinator of SEECA, Dr Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, described the directive as a progressive and consumer-oriented decision aimed at protecting electricity users, while ensuring stability in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
Okafor said the decision by NERC to compensate Band A customers who suffered inadequate electricity supply despite paying higher tariffs demonstrates the importance of balancing consumer protection with the operational realities facing electricity distribution companies.
He noted that the generation shortfalls experienced within the period, which were largely caused by inadequate gas supply and the vandalism of critical gas and transmission infrastructure, were circumstances beyond the direct operational control of Distribution Companies (DisCos), making NERC’s decision not to automatically downgrade affected Band A feeders but rather provide compensation a well-thought-out regulatory intervention.
According to him, the compensation framework, which provides token credits for prepaid customers and bill adjustments for postpaid customers, ensures that affected consumers receive relief without disrupting the existing technical and administrative arrangements of electricity supply.
Okafor explained that while SEECA strongly supports accountability in the electricity sector and the principle that consumers should only pay for the quality and duration of service received, the Association believes that compensation should
