The Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN) has urged the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to work in harmony with the intended Meter Assets Providers (MAP) to address the wide metering gaps in Nigeria.
The appeal was made by The Executive Secretary of EMMAN, Muideen Ibrahim during an interview with journalists in Lagos in the heat of metering challenges in the country.
He said: “I appeal to DISCOs to cooperate with the intended meter providers, because the only language electricity consumers understand currently is metering of their premises which Discos have not been doing.
“Now that MAPs has come up, it is another scheme that can be explored so that consumers will be metered as and when due,” he said.
It will be recalled that the implementation of MAP regulation recently introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), took off on April 3, 2018.
The MAP regulation policy was introduced with a view to ensuring that electricity customers only pay for what they actually consumed. It also provides for the supply, installation and maintenance of end-user meters by other parties approved by the commission.
Ibrahim said that the appeal became necessary as some new meter providers would be given licences to commence massive installation of meters to electricity consumers to fast-track closure of metering gaps.
The EMMAN scribe said that the new regulation on metering would stand as a relief for electricity consumers which would enable them to get meters as quickly as possible.
He added that the new arrangement was aimed at eliminating the estimated billing practice; attracting private investment into the provision of metering services; and closing the metering gap through accelerated meter rollout in power sector.
Ibrahim also expressed the Association’s profound gratitude to Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, for his concern and commitment toward addressing the metering gap in the sector.
“We need major financial institutions like Central Bank of Nigeria, World Bank, African Development Bank and others to come into that investment profile to guarantee long-term stability.
“The most important is that we must have sufficient head room in terms of asset base or credit worthiness of each of us that wants to apply as a MAP and be able to enjoy long-term credit line from such financial institutions.
“I know that this is possible. However, the good thing about this MAP policy is that, there are two ways to go about it. Consumers can as well pay for the prepaid meter willingly, and as well, they can opt not to pay, but spread the payment over a period of time.
“The fact that there is liberty for consumers to pay and install them with prepaid meter instantly will provide liberation for consumers from depending on estimated billing.
“This will be a great achievement for the government and the consumers,’’ Ibrahim added.
