Atiku Will Restore Electricity Subsidy If Elected President – Amaechi

Former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will restore electricity subsidies if elected president in 2027.

Amaechi made the statement on Thursday during ward visits across Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he delivered Atiku’s campaign message to residents.

According to him, the removal of electricity subsidies by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has significantly increased electricity bills for Nigerians.

Amaechi said Atiku had promised to reverse the policy and return government subsidies to the power sector.

“Atiku said I should tell you people that he will bring back the subsidy. Tinubu removed subsidy for electricity bill. He said Band A, B and C,” he said.

The former minister of transportation also cited his personal electricity bill, saying it had risen from about N500,000 to N4 million following the tariff changes.

“My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because government will subsidise it,” Amaechi said.

He further blamed the removal of petrol subsidy for the rising cost of transportation and food, arguing that Nigerians had been left to bear the consequences of the policy.

Amaechi also linked the country’s insecurity to the prevailing economic hardship, saying farmers were increasingly unable to access their farms.

He maintained that restoring subsidies under an Atiku administration would help reduce the cost of living and ease economic pressure on Nigerians.

The ADC vice-presidential candidate said the removal of petrol subsidy had contributed to increases in the prices of transportation and food items.

“Since he removed subsidy, transportation increased, food prices increased — tomatoes, corn, everything,” he said.

Amaechi also alleged that insecurity had worsened, making it difficult for farmers to access their farmlands.

“You no even fit go farm, and government doesn’t care. Atiku said he will bring back subsidy. If Atiku brings back subsidy, everything will come down,” he added.

Nigeria’s electricity tariff structure is divided into different service bands based on the number of hours of electricity supply customers receive daily. Band A customers are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours of supply per day, while Bands B, C, D and E have lower minimum supply thresholds.

The differentiated tariff system was introduced to enable consumers receiving more reliable electricity supply to pay higher rates, while those receiving fewer hours of supply pay lower tariffs.

In July, Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, said the Federal Government planned to phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027.

The government has said it spent N3.14 trillion on electricity subsidies between June 2023 and December 2025 to cushion consumers from the impact of tariff increases.