Uncertainty over FG’s one-million-metre campaign

The Federal Government’s intention to inject one million fresh electricity meters into the country, as promised by President Goodluck Jonathan, is currently beclouded by uncertainties as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has yet to understand how government hopes to realise the feat.On January 15 this year, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, announced that the President had approved funds for the procurement of one million electricity metres, which would be given to Nigerians to cushion the effects of inadequate metering in the power sector.Some stakeholders in the country’s power sector, especially in the distribution segment, are, of the view that the announcement was a campaign gimmick by the current government to win the confidence of Nigerians and get elected for another four-year term in the February elections.A source at NERC, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the commission had yet to receive a plan or programme from government targeted at realising the promise.The source told our correspondent that if government wanted to supply one million metres to Nigerians,it would not be done for free.The source said, “Government is still a stakeholder in the system, and can make promises. Our concern as the regulator of the sector is to ensure the cost for which these metres would be given is prudent enough. This is because consumers will be the ones to bear the burden.“Our concern is the cost power distribution companies will be charging Nigerian for the metres. It is our duty to ensure that no such exorbitant cost is transferred to Nigerians.”Nebo had said the private sector owners of the electricity distribution companies inherited a lot of customers who had no meters.“The private sector inherited a customer base in which 50 per cent do not have metres. Nigeria has the highest per capital electricity theft in the world. That is why we are now doing smart metres and we are moving to a place where the metres will be mounted on poles, because something has got to be done fast.“As a result of the burden on the Discos due to metre issues, the President has provided funding to give over one million meters to Nigerians to reduce the gap and then allow the Discos ensure that all customers are given metres,” he said.Asked to state when Nigerians would start receiving the metres, Nebo said, “The fact is that the funding has been approved by Mr. President and the funds will be released very soon. These metres are being procured and I do think that in the next couple of months, you will begin to see them because the mechanism still needs to be developed on how they will be shared to the distribution companies.“They (Discos) will distribute and install these metres and these are all being worked out. Some people may not be happy to give you metres, but we think we should continue to insist that every consumer must be given a metre because the only way to stop estimated billing is to provide these metres.”A Director at Sahara Group, owners of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Kola Adesina, in an interview on Friday, said the current metering model deployed in the sector had failed, hence the need for stakeholders to revisit the approach.He said the way forward for the country is the deployment of smart metres that will ensure proper energy management and accountability.