Residents of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Tuesday, took to the streets in protest over the recent hike in electricity tariff by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
The protesters, who marched from different parts of the city to the EEDC office and later to the Government House Umuahia, demanded the State Government’s intervention in what they described as “an unbearable increase.”
Speaking to National Ambassador reporter, one of the protesters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over the steep rise in electricity bills, said: “We were paying ₦5,000 before it was increased to ₦15,000, but because we are now enjoying steady light, we agreed and made the payment.
“Now they’ve taken it to ₦50,000, some were given ₦80,000 as electricity bill. In Nigeria, minimum wage is ₦70,000, how are we going to feed our families and pay for house rent,” he queried.
Other protesters, including Mrs. Nkechi Nwosu, who made similar complaints, appealed to the State Government to intervene.
“We can’t pay such amounts of money only for electricity. Dr. Alex Otti is a good Governor and we know that he is going to look into this matter, that is why we have come here today to express ourselves and we believe he won’t neglect us,” Mrs Nwosu said.
Also speaking, Mr. Chukwuemeka Odigbo, a civil servant who joined the protest from Wards 2 and 3 in Umuahia, lamented the situation, describing it as “outrageous.”
“We are here for a peaceful protest about the harsh and very high electricity bill. The last we paid was about ₦10,000 and suddenly we are receiving bills of ₦60,000.
“Some are getting ₦50,000 while others are getting ₦70,000, this is outrageous. How can we pay this kind of bill? Most people in Umuahia are civil servants and earn very little.
“Let’s assume somebody earns ₦70,000 as his take-home salary, how do you expect him to pay ₦50,000 for electricity bill? This treatment from EEDC is uncalled for and against natural justice and equity,” he said.
Mr. Odigbo, who demanded that the EEDC revert to the former rate, lamented that the people hardly get value for the money paid for electricity bills.
“We are demanding that they return us to the status quo of ₦10,000. We are on post-paid metering which is estimated, and we hardly get light,” he said.
Another resident, Mr. Nnamdi Okenwa, a civil servant on a prepaid plan, also shared his experience.
“I am on prepaid and I normally pay ₦3,000 because I don’t use much light. But right now, I pay ₦15,000 or ₦17,000 without even making use of the light.
“They (EEDC) bring light a week before they start disconnection, and after they collect their money from customers, they seize the light again. We cannot pay all these things. We want these people to reduce it to the status quo.”
Responding to complaints, the Head of Commercial at EEDC Abia State, Mr. Festus Iwuala, explained that the recent tariff increase was due to the upgrade of the electricity feeder supplying the affected areas from Band B and C to Band A.
“The feeder, which was previously billed under Band C and Band B, was upgraded to Band A on September 1, 2025, after meeting the requirements set by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC),” he said.
Iwuala noted that EEDC followed due process and obtained the necessary approval from NERC before implementing the new tariff, adding that customers could access prepaid meters through the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
“Customers should take advantage of the NMMP and MAP programmes to avoid estimated bills and ensure accurate metering,” he advised.
He added that EEDC has not applied the cap unit to customers’ bills but would reconcile them for those who raised complaints, and urged customers to cooperate with the company to find a lasting solution.
“EEDC is a regulated business, and the tariff increase is not within our control,” Iwuala said.
Addressing the protesters at Government House Umuahia, Governor Alex Otti, represented by the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday, commended them for their peaceful conduct and assured that the government would take their complaints seriously.
He acknowledged that electricity supply in the state had improved but stressed the need for fairness in billing.
“What is very, very painful and demanding of our people is that they should be fairly billed. That means that people want to pay for what they use, what they consume,” he stated.
He further disclosed that the State Government is working towards taking full charge of the electricity market in Abia and establishing its own regulatory authority.
“We will take full charge of this electricity market in Abia State, and we will make it to what will work for our people, for Abians,” he said.
National Ambassador reports that the protesters were asked to submit written complaints along with supporting documents to enable the State Government handle the matter officially.
