(Business in Cameroon) – On November 15, during a press conference in Douala, Eneo, the sole electricity distributor in Cameroon, clarified its decision to harmonize regulated electricity rates for prepaid and postpaid customers. The new rates have been in effect since November 1, 2024.
Eneo’s Senior Electricity Manager, Ebenezer Tedjouong, explained the changes: “In the past, prepaid customers could buy the first 150 kWh of electricity at CFA50 per kWh. However, many customers were consuming 220 kWh or more in a single month. By assigning these customers to a consumption category based on their average usage, we found they did not qualify for the social tier (0-110 kWh) but instead fell into higher consumption tiers of 111-400 kWh.”
Under the new system, customers consuming more than 220 kWh per month are billed at CFA79 per kWh, including tax. Eneo stated that the updated rates would allow 92% of its 800,000 prepaid customers to see their bills stabilize or even decrease.
The announcement comes amid protests from consumer groups, who argue that the new rates are too high and are calling for a return to the old pricing system. On November 14, members of the Cameroon Consumer Foundation (Focaco) attempted to stage a protest in Douala. Alphonse Abena, president of Focaco, demanded that Eneo and Arsel lower the cost of electricity for low-income households, charging CFA50 per kWh instead of CFA79. The new rates are based on consumption tiers: 0-110 kWh: CFA50/kWh (excluding tax); 111-220 kWh: CFA79/kWh (excluding tax);221-400 kWh: CFA94/kWh (including tax); Above 400 kWh: CFA99/kWh (including tax).
Eneo explained that the changes were mandated by Arsel. In 2022, the regulator identified disparities between prepaid and postpaid billing systems, particularly in rate structures and average costs per kWh. Arsel instructed Eneo to align prepaid rates with the postpaid tariff system that has been in place since 2012.
