An Abia State High Court judge today ruled that State High Courts have no jurisdiction to entertain matters under the 2023 Electricity Act, agreeing with one of the country’s most respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Chief Mike Ahamba, who submitted last April 29 in a matter brought before Hon. Justice Enyinna Ikpeazu sitting at the Isiala Ngwa High Court on the Aba outskirts.

Appearing for Aba Power Electric Ltd, which supplies electricity to nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State, in a suit brought by three Aba residents who claimed to be customers of the power utility, Chief Ahamba called the court’s attention to provisions of the 2023 Electricity Act on how any person not happy at any action of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should go about his or her grievances.

Sections 46, 48, and 51 provide, among other things: “Any person dissatisfied with the commission under Section (2) shall, subject to rules of the Federal High Court, within 30 days from the final decision of the commission was reached, file an appeal to the Federal High Court”.

Chief Ahamba, a former legislator and an influential author, told the Abia High Court that the three persons did not wait for 30 days for NERC to look into their complaint against the commission’s order to Aba Power last December 30 to review its tariff from January 1 to match those of the other 11 electricity in the country which were increased on April 4, 2024.

“They rather hurriedly ran to the Abia State High Court on the 17th day”, the SAN pointed out to the court.

“It is baffling that they should behave this way, as though Nigeria were a country with no laws, no rules, no regulations.

“Worse, they ran to the Abia State High Court here in Isiala Ngwa, contravening the 2023 Electricity Act.

“Why didn’t they proceed to the Federal High Court, which is in every state of the federation, including Abia State?”

Justice Ikpeazu agreed with Aba Power’s attorney on the two critical observations about the serious procedural errors by the complainants who had approached the court last January under the guise of the Aba Electricity Consumers Forum in protest against the NERC directive for a tariff review.

In February, the judge agreed with Abia Power that the “so-called Abia Electricity Forum is unregistered, illegal, and unknown to the law; consequently, it does not have the locus to appear before it or any other court in the country.”

According to Charles Torti, an electricity law expert in Aba who was in court when today’s ruling was delivered, “The Honourable Abia State High Court upheld the rule of law by upholding the overwhelming and overpowering arguments of the learned Silk.

“Being on the side of the law is critical for attracting investments, all the more so as the Dr Alex Otti-led administration is in a hurry to reposition Abia State as an investment destination”.

Michael Nwachukwu, a trader at the Ariara Market in Aba, expressed disgust with the three complainants when he spoke to journalists in the court premises after the judgment.

“We didn’t know that they were giving us false promises because they assured us of victory every inch of the way and launched an aggressive finance campaign; we contributed a significant sum”, Nwachukwu said.

“They encouraged us not to pay the new tariff, and we obeyed them. Now, we have to pay the new bills from January, amounting to five months, which is very heavy for us”.

Mrs Ngozi Okoroafor, a retired teacher and widow who runs a small grocery in Aba, also accused the complainants of misleading their followers, vowing to take steps to recover her financial contribution and those of her colleagues.

The post 2023 Electricity Act: Judge Agrees State Courts Have No Jurisdiction first appeared on National Ambassador News.

In a statement signed by the Management, APL said the interruption was due to critical maintenance work currently being carried out by their gas supplier and as a result, GPAL would  temporarily paused operations. “During this period, we will rely on limited grid supply to serve you. We expect the maintenance to be completed as quickly as possible and for normal power supply to resume thereafter.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause and appeal for your patience and understanding. Our commitment to delivering quality power remains steadfast”.

The post Aba Power Limited Announces Power Supply Reduction Due to Maintenance Activity first appeared on National Ambassador News.

Aba Power Limited (APL), has announced readiness to begin large-scale metering across its power distribution network in Abia State and surrounding areas. The move is aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of electricity supply.

Metering which is a major device in power generation, is used to capture amd measure power consumption by individuals.

Addressing Newsmen shortly after the commissioning of the newly built 2×15 MVA Ogbor Hill Substation, an event  graced by the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the Chief Operating Officer, Aba Power, Mr Blessing Ogbe, disclosed that APL is set to roll out over 5,000 meters within the first week of May, as part of a broader metering campaign.

According to him, the APL is commencing mass metering, whereby, free meters would be deployed to feeders. He said the power company has over 30 feeders with just six feeders completely covered with metering, that is, the first customer close to the injection substation, to the last customer in the terminal pole, a term he referred to as end to end.

“We aim to provide quality power supply and ensure that every customer under our feeders is properly metered. Previously, we had only 7,000 meters installed. Today, we have surpassed 60,000, and the process continues.

“We are out to give quality supply, so that our customers can be satisfied with our service. One of such ways, is to ensure those in our feeders are metered”, he explained.

According to Mr Ogbe, the areas benefiting from the initiative included, Owerrinta, Aba East, Aba Township, Guinness, World Bank, and Ehi Road, where their feeders are located.

“These feeders have been completed, we are going into mass metering program, which is bid to commence this month. Already, we are taking inventory of some meters, about 5000 will be arriving by Tuesday, the 6th of May, 2025.  We have 3000 meters on ground and the experts are already on ground”,he said.

Ogbe further hinted on the Mass metering program, describing it as a process of metering everyone in the feeder, starting from the first to the last customer. “If we have 5000 customers to a feeder for example, our mass metering program, is basically ensuring that the whole 5000 customers  are metered”.

Although, he said that there are alternatives for customers who cannot wait for the mass metering system, urging them to come their office for a guide on what to do.

The Chief Operating Officer, however, disclosed that there are three vendors in partnership with the Aba Power Limited for the supply of the meters. ” We are expecting the first 20,000 meters within the week, tomorrow we will take delivery of 5000 meters. Before the end of the month, we are to receive 40,000 meters”, Ogbe added.

On his part, the  Member representing Aba North State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Aaron Uzodike, commended the efforts of the Aba Power station, especially on the area of mass metering.

Hon Aaron Uzodike, who is also the  Chairman of the House Committee on Power and Public Utilities, praised Aba Power for keeping its promise to commence metering in the month of May. He confirmed that more than 5,000 meters were ready for free distribution to residents.

He explained that when the power company was summoned at the Abia State House of Assembly, they hinted that they would begin mass metering by May. Hon Uzodike, expressed satisfaction that the Power company kept their words, affirming that over 5000 meters were already on ground to be distributed to Aba residents free of charge.

Addressing concerns over high tariffs, Hon Uzodike noted that the rates are set by the national regulatory body in charge of power and not Aba Power. However, he urged the company to introduce flexible payment plans and avoid billing customers who haven’t received electricity.

“We told APL to design a payment formula that can be easy for people to pay, perhaps splitting the bills. We mandated them not to bill anyone that was not supplied power. They, however, assured us of quality service delivery, but we are watching them”, he said.

His counterpart representing Aba Central State Constituency, Hon Stephen Akachukwu, also lauded Aba Power’s efforts, describing their progress as commendable.

The post Aba Power To Begin Mass Metering Across Its Feeders To Ensure Quality Power Supply  first appeared on National Ambassador News.

Consumers on the 33KVA band saw their bills skyrocket from ₦49,200 to ₦140,000 per month, a staggering 184% increase. This drastic hike has left many consumers struggling to make ends meet. Those on the 11KVA band faced a 97% hike, with bills jumping from ₦22,700 to ₦44,800. The sudden and drastic increases have raised questions about the transparency and fairness of ABA Power Limited’s billing system.

Mr. Nnodimele Ikechi, a consumer on the 33KVA band, expressed his dissatisfaction and frustration with the billing system. “Despite having electricity for most days in January 2025, the billing system is unexplainable,” he said. Ikechi had applied and paid for a prepaid meter but was told to wait indefinitely, leaving him with no choice but to continue receiving estimated bills.

A civil servant, who wished to remain anonymous, lamented that the new electricity bill of ₦140,000 exceeded his monthly salary, even with the new minimum wage of ₦70,000. “How can I afford to pay such an outrageous amount?” he asked. “It’s unacceptable and unsustainable.”

The outrageous billing has driven some consumers to desperate measures, with some resorting to disconnecting their electricity supply. Others are seeking alternative energy sources or exploring ways to reduce their energy consumption. The situation has sparked fears of a looming energy crisis, with consumers struggling to access affordable and reliable electricity.

Consumers are demanding transparency and accountability from ABA Power Limited, calling for explanations for the rate hikes and urgent action to address the unsustainable billing structure. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and other relevant authorities are being urged to intervene and ensure that ABA Power Limited operates within established guidelines.

The implications of ABA Power Limited’s actions extend beyond individual consumers. The increased electricity costs will likely have a ripple effect on businesses, industries, and the broader economy. As consumers struggle to cope with the rate hikes, there may be a shift towards alternative energy sources or increased energy conservation efforts.

ABA Power Limited’s decision to implement drastic rate hikes has sparked widespread outrage and desperation among consumers. The company must engage with affected parties, provide transparency in its billing process, and work towards finding a sustainable solution. Regulatory bodies must also intervene to ensure that the interests of consumers are protected and that ABA Power Limited operates within established guidelines.

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