Following the recent hike in electricity tariff; the Federal government has announced the new increase saying that rural dwellers and the urban poor called R1, would not have to pay higher.

The Minister of State for power, Darius Ishaku who disclosed this at a workshop in Abuja said that instead of the usual N7 per kilowatt hour, the rural dwellers would be paying a subsidized fee of N4.

According to the Minister, the middle class (the R2 consumers), will be paying an additional 11 per cent increase while the rich consumers (the R3) will get an additional 40 per cent.

Mr Ishaku further noted that contrary to wide spread speculations, the new multi-year tariff policy is not to punish Nigerians but enhance the country’s socio-economic progress.

The ministry of power in collaboration with the national orientation agency has embarked on a massive training programme to educate Nigerians nationwide on the new electricity tariff system; promising that the new increase will bring down the cost of goods and services in the country.