FG Orders DisCos To Resume Free Metre Distribution

The electricity distribution companies have been directed by the Federal Government to resume the Metre Assets Providers (MAP) programme.

It is believed that the programme was slowed down by the National Mass Metering Programme.

The NMMP programme was started in 2020 under the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to bridge the wide metering gap in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

MAP which was started earlier under DisCos had barely reached 400, 000 homes in 2020, while NMMP intervention in Phase 0 succeeded in reaching over 800,000 homes.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Garuba Sanusi, said last week that Phase 1 of the Federal Government’s NMMP was billed to begin in August, and as a result, DisCos had been ordered to resume and speed up on the MAP.

Sanusi said, “By the end of August, metres from local manufacturers will be deployed by the DisCos. As a result, DisCos have been ordered to re-open the MAP, and customers are advised to take advantage of the window to purchase theirs if they cannot wait for the free metres.”

He disclosed that 45 local metre manufacturers were currently jostling to be signed under FG’s metre providers’ programme.

Sanusi added that bids had already been submitted by the 45 manufacturers and the selection process had begun.

He said, “Names of winners of the bid rounds will be announced as soon as the process is completed.”

Phase 1 of the NMMP targets four million households.