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Following the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) approval of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulations 2018, 22 firms have received the Commissions ‘No Objection To Participate In The Metering Process’, the Commission has said.
The ‘No Objection to Participate in the Metering process’ is a form that would enable investors link up seamlessly with the Distribution Companies of Nigeria (Discos) to get allocation of where to cover on metering of Customers in the country.
NERC, it would be noted has revealed just recently that only 42 percent, translating to 3 360 000 out of eight million billed electricity customers have meters in the country ,prompting engagement of third party meter asset providers to involve in closing the metering gap.
NERC’s efforts to ensure proper billing of the electricity sector, industry watchers say was to address concerns of liquidity threatening the sector, while ensuring a more efficient and transparent billing of electricity consumers.
On the heels of the approval of the Meter Asset Provider regulations 2018, applications were invited from the Commission from interested investors who would work closely with the Discos to close the gap of those not metered in the country.
MAP Regulations is intended to facilitate closure of the wide metering gap in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) within three years. The ‘No Objection’ is to qualify intending investors to participate in the meter procurement process in NESI.
The Regulation mandates electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) to engage meter assets providers who fund purchase, installation and replacement of meters to meet Discos metering obligations to their customers.
Usman Abba Arabi, general manager, Public Affairs revealed in the statement that the effort is to ensure that all electricity customers are metered thereby reducing incidences of estimated electricity billing to the barest minimum.
The Commission said in the statement that having conducted due diligence on the supporting documents to the applications submitted by interested investors, has granted successful applicants ‘No Objection’ to participate in the procurement process for meter assets provision in accordance with section 8 subsection 4 of the Meter Assets Providers Regulations, 2018.
NERC further clarified that the Members of the public and intending investors announcement does not foreclose other interested applicants from getting the ‘No Objection’ as it is a continuous exercise.
Companies granted ‘No Objection’ include Huawei Technology Company Nigeria Limited; Bilview Energy Limited; Chintech Electro Nigeria Limited; Holley Metering Limited; Meron Nigeria Limited; Integrated Power Limited; MBH Power Limited; Trimani Engineering Limited; Sapropel Energy Resources Limited; Megawatt Distribution International Limited; Unistar Hi-Tech Systems Limited; and MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited.
Others are Imperial Infrastructure Development Company Limited; Ratio Consulting Limited; Protogy Global Services Limited; Paktim Metering Nigeria Limited; Sabrud Consortium Nigeria Limited; Tinuten Nigeria Limited; Kayz Consortium Limited; BTS Power Limited; CIG Metering Assets Nigeria Limited and Cresthill Energy Limited.
HARRISON EDEH, ABUJA
