The federal government has taken a significant step towards addressing Nigeria’s longstanding electricity meter shortage. In a partnership with Chinese firms, the government aims to install over 1.4 million smart meters across the country.
The agreement, signed between the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), electricity distribution companies (DisCos), and the Chinese firms; Ningbo Sanxing Medical and Electric Company Limited, Ningbo Sanxing Smart Electric Company Limited, and Messrs XJ Group Corporation, was announced on Friday by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The signing ceremony took place at the BPE headquarters in Abuja.
“The project is part of the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), funded by the World Bank’s $500 million facility through the Investment Project Finance (IPF) arrangement,” TCN said.
The project, funded by the World Bank’s $500 million facility through the Investment Project Finance (IPF) arrangement, is part of the broader Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).
TCN’s CEO, Sule Abdulaziz, highlighted the importance of the project, stating that it would help bridge the existing 7.1 million meter gap in Nigeria.
In a separate development, Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu revealed that the federal and state governments have jointly raised N100 billion for the procurement of prepaid electricity meters. The World Bank has also pledged to support Nigeria with an additional two million meters over the next two years.
These initiatives collectively demonstrate the government’s commitment to improving electricity access and distribution in Nigeria. By addressing the meter gap, the government aims to enhance revenue collection, reduce electricity theft, and improve the overall efficiency of the power sector.
