Apart from setting aside, a whooping N30bn to implement comprehensive metering nationwide, federal government has issued a regulatory framework to licence meter asset providers (MAPs) to fast track product deliveries.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, while announcing the feat, said with the new approach by the government, all is set for the fading away of challenges frustrating metering of electricity consumers in Nigeria.
In his presentation at the recent 27th monthly meeting of the honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing with power sector operators, in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, the minister revealed that government is working to deliver incremental, stable and sustainable power to all Nigerians on and off the power grid.
According to him, “We have spoken about it and now we are taking action. You must understand that there is a gestation period between policy announcement, implementation and impact”.
Continuing, Fashola averred that “The first thing we have done is to provide a regulatory framework by licencing people to supply these meters, and we published these regulation two meetings ago”.
“People are studying these regulations to see how they can become meter asset providers.
“One of the highlights of this regulation is that asset providers would have to work with Discos to supply meters to their customers before approaching NEC. “We have set aside over N30 billion to implement this policy.
The minister added further that “We are also committed to reaching all Nigerians on and off grid with prepaid meters as soon as possible.”
In his remarks, chairman of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Usman Gur Mohammed said, “We have completed 80℅ of 32kva power lines that have been destroyed by [the] Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast as a result of the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing”.
“This includes the rehabilitation of the 33kva transmission line between Dambua and Madagali, Damasak and Maiduguri, among other facilities that have been restored in the zone.
“We have also achieved a lot of investment in the zone, curbed technical losses and reduce electricity incidences significantly.
TCN boss also revealed that “We have also improved revenue collection by almost 200℅.”