₦5,000 Now Buys 22 Units’: Rights Group Demands Immediate Probe Into BEDC Tariff Hike in Delta
The group wants the state government and the disco to explain an over 80 per cent drop in prepaid units.
A civil rights organisation has called for urgent government intervention over what it describes as a sharp and unexplained increase in electricity tariffs by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), warning that the rising cost of power is placing unbearable pressure on households across Delta State.
The National Coordinator of the Initiative for Social Rights Concerns and Advancements (ISRCA), Comrade (Amb.) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, raised the alarm in a statement on Friday, urging authorities to immediately investigate the tariff regime and address alleged discrepancies affecting prepaid electricity consumers.
Agberen acknowledged that BEDC operates under the regulatory oversight of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), but argued that the latest tariff adjustment appears excessive and out of step with the current economic realities facing Nigerians.
He cited what he described as a dramatic drop in the value of prepaid electricity purchases, claiming that ₦5,000 bought about 112.9 electricity units during the first week of July 2026, but yielded only 22.3 units barely two to three weeks later.
According to him, the reported reduction of more than 80 per cent in electricity units over such a short period raises serious concerns and should trigger an independent review of the tariff calculation process.
Agberen warned that if left unchecked, the current pricing could force many low-income earners to spend a significant portion of their monthly salaries on electricity alone.
He noted that for workers earning the national minimum wage, the current tariff could consume more than 30 per cent of their monthly income, describing the situation as unsustainable amid rising living costs.
The rights advocate also cautioned that the increasing cost of electricity could encourage illegal power connections and meter bypass by consumers struggling to cope with higher bills.
While encouraging residents to embrace energy conservation, he insisted that fairness, transparency and accountability in electricity billing must remain a priority for both regulators and electricity distribution companies.
ISRCA consequently called on the Delta State Government, through the Commissioner for Power and Energy, Engr. Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, to engage BEDC and other relevant stakeholders to review the tariff structure and investigate the alleged irregularities.
The group also urged the management of BEDC, including its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Jonathan O. Lawani, as well as the company’s Warri and Sapele regional offices, to clarify the basis for the reported changes and take immediate steps to address consumers’ concerns.
Agberen maintained that swift action is needed to restore public confidence in electricity billing, ease the burden on consumers and prevent growing public dissatisfaction over the rising cost of power in Delta State.
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