- NMMP begins Phase 1 implementation
- Over 900,000 meters installed in Phase 0
- The NMMP created at least 10,000 jobs
In an interview with the Leadership Newspapers, the Special Adviser on Infrastructure to the President, Ahmad Zakari, stated that the Federal Government (FG) will close the metering gap in the country by 2023. The FG is currently implementing Phase 1 of the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) to provide 4 million meters to electricity consumers in the country. The NMMP is fully funded by the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“This government will complete the metering gap by 2023, and it’s easy to tell why. The maximum number of meters that has ever been distributed in Nigeria was 200,000 annually. This year alone, we have distributed over 900,000 meters. We should be judged by the progress we are making.” Zakari said.
“With the government’s concerted effort to be able to provide liquidity, that has changed the trajectory. In the past, the maximum meter we could install in a month when we started this NMMP was maybe 15,000 a month. However, at the end of phase 0, we have wrapped up our local capacity to about 100,000 meters per month. By next year, when we move to the execution of phase 1, that installation capacity will expand.” Zakari added.
“We have completed phase o with over 900,000 meters already delivered to the Discos; only final installation is ongoing. We started the process of phase 1 a month ago, and we’ll continue to work.” Zakari stated.
Under the NMMP, four metering factories were established in Kaduna, Anambra, Lagos and at least 10,000 jobs were created.