Joe Igbokwe, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has raised concerns over the recent electricity tariff hike in Nigeria, stating that it is having a detrimental impact on his small business. Igbokwe, who operates a business in Surulere, Lagos, expressed his frustrations on his Facebook handle on Saturday, emphasizing that the new tariffs are unsustainable for small businesses.
In his statement, Igbokwe shared that prior to the tariff hike, he used to purchase 300 units of electricity for ₦20,000, which would power his office and its seven air conditioning units for an extended period. However, since the implementation of the new tariff, which placed his business in the Band A classification, ₦20,000 worth of electricity units now lasts for only one day.
Highlighting the challenges this has posed for his business, Igbokwe called on President Tinubu to urgently review the new electricity tariff plan to prevent small businesses, like his, from collapsing under the burden of increased costs.
He wrote, “PBAT (President Bola Tinubu), please look into the new electricity tariff in Nigeria. It will kill businesses if the government does not act as quickly as possible. I have a small office in Surulere with about 7 units of AC. We used to buy 300 plus units for ₦20,000. Yesterday (Friday) we bought ₦20,000 worth of units, and it lasted for just one day. They call it the Band A group. I pray that we review this.”
The APC chieftain’s concerns echo the wider frustrations of many Nigerians and small business owners, who have been grappling with the rising costs of electricity, fuel, and other essential services since the new administration took office.
