Sanusi Explains Why Nigerians Are Not Convinced Over Electricity Hike

By Olamilekan Alani

A former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Tuesday, gave reasons why many Nigerians are not convinced with the recent hike in electricity tariff by the Federal Government.

He gave the reasons while delivering a keynote address at the 5th Kaduna Investments Summit.

According to him, many Nigerians are not convinced by the government’s s explanation over the electricity tariff hike because the government is “thinking of it from a consumption perspective”.

The DisCos had on September 1 announced the implementation of a new Service Reflective Tariff Plan across their franchise areas.

He explained that many Nigerians, including traders, would be willing to pay double if electricity is regular and boosts their sales.

Sanusi said, “On tariff use and compensation, the government is not having that conversation in a manner that convinces people.

“People need to understand, you complain about tariffs because you are thinking of it from a consumption perspective. Look at electricity as a critical import into production, productivity, earnings, as an economic resource.

“Look at how much money you can make. There is a difference between not earning a thing and not earning something, between extreme poverty and rising above the poverty line.

“People will pay anything for electricity if they knew how to earn from it. When people cry, it is because they are paying for power and earning nothing from it. If you go to a village and sell for N100 per kilowatt and the trader is making four times more with it, he will pay twice.”

The former emir also urged the federal and state governments to ensure a link between infrastructural and economic development.

He added, “You have to make sure your projects are linked, you don’t just build a road here, a rail line there, an airport there without knowing how they are going to translate into economic gains.

“When we build airports, it should not be because people want to fly from Abuja to Kano for a wedding.”