Claim: A Facebook user claims that electricity consumers in Northern Nigeria pay significantly more for electricity than consumers in Southern Nigeria.
Verdict: Misleading. DUBAWA found that electricity tariffs in Nigeria are determined by customer service bands approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), not by location.
Full Text
A Facebook user shared a video (archive here) on May 28, 2026, alleging that electricity consumers in Northern Nigeria pay far more for electricity than those in Southern Nigeria.
Speaking in the Hausa language, the claimant displayed screenshots comparing electricity purchases allegedly made in Bauchi and Ibadan and argued that residents of the North are being subjected to unfair electricity tariffs.
According to the calculation presented, in Bauchi, ₦1,000 reportedly purchased four units of electricity, translating to ₦250 per unit, while in Ibadan, ₦90 reportedly purchased 8.5 units, translating to approximately ₦10.59 per unit.
The claimant, based on the Ibadan calculation, argued that ₦1,000 would purchase approximately 94.4 units of electricity.
The video sparked online reactions, with some users interpreting it as evidence of regional discrimination in electricity pricing.
One Facebook user, Ibrahim Umar Mesago, appeared to support the claim.
“Honestly, Nigeria is already divided in practice; what remains is only to put it in writing,” he said.
Another user, Saddam Ibn Sulaiman, disagreed and pointed to differences in electricity service bands, saying,
“You should know that there are differences between the bands. Even here in Bauchi, electricity tariffs differ. Customers on Band A do not pay the same rate as those on Band C.”
As of June 3, 2026, the video had amassed 462,000 views, more than 1,100 comments, and 9,600 shares.
Given the potential of the claim to fuel regional tensions and misinformation about Nigeria’s electricity sector, DUBAWA investigated it.
Verification
DUBAWA examined Nigeria’s electricity tariff framework and found that electricity pricing is regulated nationally by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Under NERC’s Service-Based Tariff (SBT) system, electricity consumers are grouped into five service bands, A, B, C, D and E, based on the minimum average hours of electricity supplied daily.
Customers in higher bands receive more electricity supply and generally pay higher tariffs, while those in lower bands receive fewer hours of supply and pay lower subsidised rates.
For example, customers in Band A are to receive at least 20 hours of electricity daily and to pay cost-reflective tariffs. Meanwhile, customers in Bands D and E receive fewer hours of supply and pay lower rates.
To verify the claim, DUBAWA reviewed the tariff schedule published by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
The tariff document shows that Band A customers pay ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour, Band B customers pay between ₦67.25 and ₦70.41, while Band D customers pay ₦32.44, and Band E customers pay ₦32.26, depending on meter classification.
To validate the data, DUBAWA examined an actual electricity statement from Oyo State.
The bill, issued by IBEDC to a customer in the Apata Business Hub area of Ibadan, clearly shows a tariff rate of ₦32.44 per unit, which corresponds to the Band D Non-MD tariff approved by NERC.
Further checks revealed that the claimant’s calculation failed to provide important information, including the customer’s service band and whether the transaction involved energy credits or adjustments.
DUBAWA also reviewed the tariff classification used by Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED), which supplies electricity to Bauchi and several other northern states.
The tariff structure similarly follows NERC’s service-band model.
Screenshot of the JED tariffs.
This classification indicates that two customers living in the same city can pay different tariffs if they belong to different service bands.
Likewise, customers in different parts of the country may pay similar rates if they belong to the same tariff category. This difference is not a product of location but the varying band classification by NERC
Conclusion
The claim that electricity costs more in Northern Nigeria than in Southern Nigeria is misleading.