Electricity Tariff Hike: Nigerian Consumers Can Take Lessons from Other Countries –  UK Consultant

Precious Onyenweaku, a Nigerian project management consultant who is resident in the United Kingdom, has said Nigerian electricity consumers can deploy smart measures to cope with the increase, taking lessons from other countries with similar experiences in recent times. Onyenweaku who recently graduated with a master’s degree in International Management from the University of the […]

Precious Onyenweaku, a Nigerian project management consultant who is resident in the United Kingdom, has said Nigerian electricity consumers can deploy smart measures to cope with the increase, taking lessons from other countries with similar experiences in recent times.

Onyenweaku who recently graduated with a master’s degree in International Management from the University of the West of Scotland, Scotland in the United Kingdom, noted that Nigerian electricity consumers can take simple and consistent steps to ensure that the rise in cost of electricity does not put too much pressure on the overall wellbeing of families which may result in social crisis.

He noted that his master’s dissertation which dwelled on the influence of rising costs of energy on the energy consumer behaviour of international students in Scotland was intended to explore the various ways by which electricity consumers in Scotland adapted to the increase in tariff in recent periods.

The study which investigated the rise in energy prices across Scotland and globally noted that increases in energy costs in most countries often had impacted households in several ways including economically, socially, emotionally and materially.

Speaking further on the study, Onyenweaku said: “However, little is known about the effects of high energy tariffs on a unique growing segment of the Scottish population which is international University students.

“Therefore, I conducted this study to investigate the impact of rising energy costs on the consumer behavior of international university students in Scotland which is all relevant to other demographics and residents both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, including Nigeria.

“The study hinged on consumer behaviour theory and analyses the effects of energy costs on curtailment and efficiency behaviours evident among international students in Scotland. It noted that factors such as personal, cultural, social, economic, and pro-environmental perception were taken into cognizance in the design of the research questionnaire and data collection from 220 participants.

“The study used descriptive statistics, multivariable linear regression, and ANOVA for data analysis. A pivotal revelation was that all participants experienced an elevation in energy costs post-immigration, with 70.5% observing a significant surge.

“In exploring energy consumption habits, the study underscored a compelling inclination towards energy-saving practices, with 72.73% of respondents consistently turning off lights when exiting rooms.

“Also, the linear regression analysis explained the implications of rising energy costs on consumption behaviours, revealing an unexpected positive correlation noting that “more” energy-saving changes are linked to significantly lower curtailment in consumption patterns.

“The study further indicated that households relying solely on gas as an energy source exhibited significantly distinct energy costs compared to those utilizing both gas and electricity.

“The study reveals a crucial link between energy awareness and consumption. Students, particularly those from Nigeria and India, demonstrated significant energy-saving behaviors like switching off lights and appliances.”

The finding, according to Onyenweaku, “underscores the complexities of energy consumption” but also offers “actionable insights” for Nigerians.