By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country have explained that not all electricity meter approved by the Federal Government is free of charge to customers.

The DisCos in a statement by the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), yesterday, explained that there are different metering schemes put in place by the government and payment for meters was dependent on the scheme the customer enrolls in.

ANED’s Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Barr. Sunny Oduntan clarified that “under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)’s ‘Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations’, Regulation No. NERC-R-11-2021, there are two metering programmes – National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the Meter Asset Provider (MAP).  

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“The NMMP is a policy intervention by the federal government, with funding from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This programme commenced in 2021 and the objective of the program is to  expeditiously close the electricity metering gap. These meters are provided free of charge to customers and as loans to the electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

“The first phase of NMMP covered the delivery and installation of a million meters and concluded in October, 2021.  In the second phase, four million more meters are expected to be installed.”

Mr. Oduntan also added that “the second route to obtaining a meter is under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme which was approved in 2018. This avenue is available to customers who are unwilling to wait for the availability of meters under the NMMP. Such customers can pay for a meter under the scheme. The amount paid by the customer will be amortised and refunded over a 36-month period via energy credits.

“This twin approach is aimed at closing the metering gap in the next one or two years, so that estimated billing will be reduced to a minimum.

However, of note is that under the second program, with the advantage of expedited delivery and installation, the customer has to first pay for the meter before being refunded. Ultimately, the meter is free to the customer, via the energy credits”.