Atiku Vows to Abolish Five-Band Electricity Tariff System, Accuses Tinubu of Broken Promise

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to abolish Nigeria’s five-band electricity tariff system if elected president, accusing President Bola Tinubu of failing to fulfil his campaign promise to provide Nigerians with steady electricity.

Atiku made the pledge in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council.

He criticised the existing tariff structure, which classifies electricity consumers into Bands A, B, C, D and E, arguing that households and businesses continue to pay electricity bills despite unreliable supply.

The former vice-president said the arrangement had placed additional financial pressure on Nigerians, particularly small business owners who spend more on alternative power sources to keep their businesses running.

Atiku cited charges of about ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour for some Band A customers before Value Added Tax, arguing that higher tariffs had not translated into dependable electricity supply.

“The power fails, but the bill arrives,” he said, insisting that consumers should not be made to pay more while receiving inadequate service.

He promised to work with state governments and relevant regulators to replace the current system with what he described as a fair, transparent and affordable framework that would protect consumers and hold electricity distribution companies accountable for the power they deliver.

Atiku’s comments followed a defence of Tinubu’s electricity-sector record by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. Alake argued that the President’s campaign promise should be assessed alongside his administration’s interventions, including the Electricity Act 2023, the Presidential Metering Initiative and efforts to settle outstanding debts owed to power generation and gas companies.

However, Atiku dismissed the administration’s reliance on policy announcements and financial interventions, arguing that settling old debts was not the same as expanding electricity generation capacity.

He also questioned the Federal Government’s plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027, demanding clarification on how the proposed change would affect consumers’ bills.

The ADC chieftain further recalled Tinubu’s campaign pledge ahead of the 2023 election that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he failed to provide constant electricity within four years, unless he offered adequate reasons for the failure.

The exchange highlights electricity supply and tariff affordability as emerging issues in political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election.