The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government intends to purchase and distribute two million pre-paid meters to electricity users on estimated billings before the end of quarter one next year.
It said the two million is the first batch of the 10 million meters that would be distributed nationwide in the next five years under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) to end estimated bills imposed by electricity distribution companies(DisCos).
Power Minister, Adebayo Adelabu made this known before the inauguration of Mobile Power Substations in Oyo and Ogun states.
Adelabu said “An estimated billing system is ripping off consumers hence the reason the Federal Government through the Ministry of Power is purchasing 10 million pre-paid meters to be distributed across the Country.
“Out of this figure, two million pre-paid meters will be distributed before the end of the first quarter in 2025.’’
Adelabu, however, warned consumers being bombarded with estimated bills by the DisCos to avoid the temptation of by-passing electric cables.
He said that the Bola Tinubu administration was working towards ensuring an uninterrupted power supply across the country but needed the cooperation of consumers.
The minister said: “While the Federal government is doing everything to make the country habitable for the people, the customers should desist from their idea of by-passing connection.
“Also, people should desist from vandalising and stealing electricity cables. The government, apart from spending fortunes to replace stolen equipment, is doing everything possible to ensure regular electricity power supply nationwide.”
On the rising cost of power supply, the minister argued that it was not peculiar to Nigeria. He assured that the government was also doing everything possible to ease the burden through renewable energy.
He added: “The renewable energy programme of the Federal Government is aimed at easing the burden of the rising cost of energy.
“The rising cost of energy is taking a toll not only on the households but our institutions of learning.
“The government has concluded a plan to deploy Alternative Renewable Energy Grid and Solar Energy Grid to the universities, teaching hospitals and research institutes nationwide.”
As of June, only 5,993,340 (45.43 percent) out of the 13,192,573 registered electricity customers had been metered.
Earlier this year, Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on Strategic Communications and Media to the Power Minister said the Federal Government planned to distribute meters to electricity customers under PMI.
He explained that through the PMI, the government intends to close the metering gap as well as put an end to estimated billing.
Tunji had said: “The government is working with the local manufacturers because the minister, in recent months, had to inspect the local manufacturers to be sure they could deliver on the project. So we expect meters from the local manufacturers.’’
He also explained that plans to roll out 3.2 million meters under the World Bank Distribution Sector Reform Program (DISREP) were on course and that its implementation was expected this month.
In October, Adelabu announced that the government had procured 1.3 million meters under the DISREP initiative. He added that Nigeria would receive 1.3 million meters between December 2024 and the second quarter of next year.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
