On Friday, the federal government unveiled its plan to procure 3.5 million electricity meters by the end of the year, aiming to enhance revenue collection for the financially struggling power sector, where more than half of the customers currently receive estimated bills.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed that the bulk of these meters will be sourced from international vendors, with a smaller portion coming from local manufacturers due to their limited production capacity.
Historically, Chinese companies have been major suppliers of meters to Nigeria.
Adelabu made these comments during an energy conference organized by BusinessDay Newspapers. He announced, “This year, 2 million meters will be procured in addition to the 1.5 million meters being funded by World Bank support. We plan to have 3.5 million meters installed by the end of the year.”
He further noted that the competitive bidding process for the initial batch of 1.5 million meters has been completed, with delivery expected in the coming months.
Additionally, the government has committed to releasing 20 billion naira to electricity distribution companies for the procurement of meters for large users, whose tariffs were increased in April. This measure aims to ensure all large users are metered by September.
Current Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, estimates that there are between 7 and 8 million unmetered customers in the country.
