Oluchi Chibuzor
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) have reiterated their commitment to close the metering gap in the country projected at 4.7millon, by 2021.
The move is expected to bring to an end, the estimated billing system.
The Commissioner of Finance and Management Services, NERC, Nathan Shatti, made this known at a press briefing with journalist in Lagos recently.
According to him, “Based on the outcome of the procurement exercise carried out by the Discos and submissions made by the MAPs, then commission agreed with the MAPs/Disco on the maximum payment a customer will make for a meter.
“For a one-phase meter it’s N36, 992 while for a three-phase meter, it is N 67,055, all prices are Value Added Taxed (VAT) and will carry out customer survey to get independent customers satisfaction/dissatisfaction reports and key concerns with aims of resolving them quickly and ensure the programme implementation is not derailed.”
Shatti, said the commission in April 2019, approved 42 MAPs under the MAP regulation, after a rigorous procurement exercise carried out by the 11 Distributing Companies (Discos) in Nigeria, which commenced deployment by May 1, 2019.
He also said although installation did not commence immediately across the country as anticipated due to the need to finalise some documentation to mobilise the supply of meter, consumers have two mode of payment suitable to them. This, he said was designed to allow flexibility.
According to him, “We have a metering target of 4.7millon today and of course if nothing is done, it will continue to increase because enumeration is going on, and we have said 4.7millon is spread across all the discos as the gap must be metered by 2021 in the next two years.”
He added, “I am happy to report that the installations of meters have now commenced across various Disco franchise areas, and meter deployments, customer registration/network clean-up and installation have begun in most of the Discos for those who have indicated interest to pay upfront.
“However, for those who have not commenced, for some obvious reasons, it will start by August 1, 2019, with the Discos mandated by law to repair within two days if there are faults on the meters once it is mounted as the they belong to them too.”
Explaining the process of acquiring a meter under the scheme, he advised citizens to visit the website or business customer care unit of the Discos to complete an application form, adding that there are two options provided in the MAP regulation for acquiring a meter-upfront payment and payment by instalments.”
