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ELECTRICITY: Tariff hike confusion: NERC issues new directives to DisCos

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC has issued new directives to Electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos on the implementation of the supplementary April 2024 multi-year tariff order.

 

 

The directives issued on Saturday were intended to clear the confusion that has trailed the implementation of the new tariff order with complaints by consumers of unjust billing by the Discos.

 

 

NERC had on April approved increase in electricity tariff of customers on Band A enjoying 20 hour power supply across the country.

 

 

The commission said that other customers in Bands B, C and D are not affected by the increase

 

 

Mr Musliu Oseni, Vice Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said this at a press briefing in Abuja said in electricity tariff paid by Band A customers has been jacked up from N68/KWh to N225KWh

 

 

But some consumers have complained that their tariff have been jacked up to that of Band A even when they are not getting the required hours of electricity from the distribution companies serving them.

 

 

In a statement issued on Saturday, NERC ordered the Discos to refund customers who have been wrongly billed not later than 11th April, 2024.

 

 

It also ordered that to provide as much clarity as possible to all affected customers.

 

 

To clear the confusion, NERC directed the DisCos to implement the following updates:

 

 

1. All DisCos shall ensure that ONLY the newly approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders are maintained as band A for the purpose of vending to prepaid customers and billing for post paid customers on their networks.

 

 

 

2. All DisCos are required to immediately post on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders that have been affected by the rate review.

 

 

 

3. All DisCos shall set up a portal by 10th April 2024 on their website that allows all customers to check their current Bands by entering their meter or account numbers.

 

 

 

4. All customers wrongly billed at the new rate should be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday 11th April 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the Commission by 12th April 2024.

 

 

5. The Commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements listed above and shall continue to provide support to all stakeholders as required.

 

 

 

 

International News

Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement 

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Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.

 

Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.

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Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup

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FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

 

The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.

Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.

Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.

The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.

The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.

Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.

The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.

The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.

The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.

The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.

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It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.

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Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.

 

According to Falana, the practice is illegal.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.

Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.

Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”

Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”

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