Nigeria, April 30 -- The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says the federal government needs about N2.8 trillion to subsidise electricity and avoid increment in electricity tariff for the rest of the year.

The minister stated this on Monday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power to discuss increment in electricity tariff.

Mr Adelabu recently announced the federal government's plan to remove subsidies on electricity supply because the country cannot continue to afford it due to the huge indebtedness in the power sector to the tune of N3 trillion.

Subsequently, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a tariff increment for Band A consumers (less than a quarter of all consumers), allowing electricit...