In recent years, Nigerians have endured economic hardships comparable to the Israelites’ suffering in Egypt. Every glimmer of hope quickly fades into darkness, obscured by political and economic mysteries controlled by those in power.

Despite being battered daily by economic challenges, Nigerians have remained resilient. Local businesses continue to thrive, and Nigerians at home and abroad achieve remarkable feats, much like the Israelites who multiplied in strength despite their oppression.

However, there have been recent attempts to undermine the labour force, the strength and glory of the nation, similar to Pharaoh’s actions in the Bible.

The first blow was the hike in PMS and diesel prices, aimed at crippling local producers and manufacturers. Recently, the authorities have also increased electricity tariffs, further straining the labour sector.

On April 3rd, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced that Band A consumers’ electricity tariffs would rise from #62 to #225, before a minor reduction to #206.8. Band A includes customers who receive up to 20 hours of electricity, predominantly in urban areas.

From the classification, the majority of rural areas fall into the category with minimal hours of electricity. So, how do we promote local industrialisation, which feeds urban industries with raw materials, if they have a shortage of electricity?

For instance, sawmills located in rural areas cannot operate efficiently without consistent electricity. Rice farms and other local industries also rely on electricity. The struggles of local industries inevitably impact urban industries as well.

Rather than increasing prices, the focus should have been on the equal distribution of electricity. All towns and cities should have equal access to electricity, not some enjoying 20 hours while others have minimal supply.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu stated that the tariff increase was to attract investors to the energy sector. However, this seems to be a facade for other motives. Attracting investors to a market where consumers cannot afford the service is illogical.

There are economies of scale in business; investors will rather choose where the cost of production (energy being a chief factor and nearness to raw materials) is low. What will investors do in a country where there is little or no regard for the regeneration and conservation of raw materials? Is the decline of raw materials not one of the main reasons why many international firms are beginning to leave the country?

Increasing electricity tariffs is as damaging as raising import duties. When will we stop making decisions that harm our economy? It is paradoxical to increase import duties to encourage local production while simultaneously raising electricity tariffs that cripple those producers. It is no wonder people accuse the current administration of stifling the poor citizens of this country.

HARSH REALITIES AND COPING MECHANISMS

Many families in the city are unable to buy local PMS to provide electricity through generators because of the high price. They have been surviving with electricity, but now that electricity prices have increased by almost 300 percent, it will pose a significant threat to families trying to meet their energy needs.

Mrs. Chioma, an educator in Lagos who falls under the Band A category, lamented that her family now spends 20,000 naira on electricity every two weeks. She noted that some other

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