Band A to Band E: what your electricity tariff band really means
Your band decides both how many hours of power you are promised and how much you pay for each unit. Here is how to find yours and what to do when supply falls short.
In 30 seconds
- Nigeria sorts electricity feeders into five bands, A to E, by how many hours of supply they are meant to get each day.
- Band A feeders are promised at least 20 hours a day; Band E at least 4.
- Band A customers pay the most per unit. NERC's Band A rate has been ₦209.50 per kWh since July 2024.
- States that now regulate their own electricity can set different rates. Enugu cut its Band A rate to ₦160 in July 2025.
If you have looked closely at an electricity bill or a token receipt in Nigeria, you may have seen a letter: A, B, C, D or E. That letter is your tariff band, and it shapes two things at once. How much power you should get, and how much you pay for it.
The idea behind the bands
Not every area gets the same amount of electricity. Some feeders get power most of the day; others get a few hours. The bands exist so that people who get more supply pay more per unit, and people who get less pay less.
Each band comes with a minimum number of hours of supply per day:
- Band A: at least 20 hours
- Band B: at least 16 hours
- Band C: at least 12 hours
- Band D: at least 8 hours
- Band E: at least 4 hours
Some explainers show these as ranges, for example Band A as 20 to 24 hours. The point is the same: the minimum is what you are owed.
What Band A costs
Band A is the most expensive band per unit. NERC's approved Band A rate has been ₦209.50 per kWh since July 2024. Lower bands pay less per unit.
Why your state matters now
Under the Electricity Act 2023, states can set up their own electricity markets and regulators. Once a state regulator takes over, it can set its own rates. Enugu's state regulator, for example, cut its Band A rate to ₦160 per kWh in July 2025. So the price you pay can depend on where you live, not only on your band.
When supply falls short
If you are paying Band A prices but not getting 20 hours of power, you are paying for supply you did not receive. In June 2026, NERC ordered compensation for Band A customers affected by supply shortfalls.
What you can do:
- Check your band. It is on your bill or token receipt, or your DisCo can tell you from your account number.
- Keep a simple log. Note the hours of supply each day for a week or two. A notebook or phone note is enough.
- Complain to your DisCo in writing and keep the reference number.
- Escalate if nothing changes. NERC and state regulators run customer complaint forums for unresolved cases.
The short version
Your band is a promise of hours, and the price per unit is set to match that promise. Know your band, know your hours, and if the two do not match, you have grounds to complain.
See the current Band A rate and other figures on our market figures page.
Words to know
- Feeder
- The line that carries electricity from a substation to your street or estate. Your band belongs to your feeder, not to you personally.
- kWh
- The unit you buy electricity in. A 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour uses one kWh.
- DisCo
- The distribution company that supplies and bills your area.
- NERC
- The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the federal power regulator.
Sources
- Nairametrics: NERC orders compensation for Band A customers (June 2026)
- TheCable: Band A customers to pay ₦209.5/kWh (July 2024)
- TheCable: States authorised to generate and regulate power under the Electricity Act
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