March 19, 2018

The Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN) on Monday said that the new Meter Assets Regulation (MAP) policy in the power sector would create massive employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Mr Muideen Ibrahim, the Executive Secretary of EMMAN said this in a statement issued in Lagos.

Ibrahim, who spoke at a meeting with indigenous meter manufacturers, said that aside from creating job opportunities, it would also ensure the transfer of technology to Nigeria as well as enhance Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) among others.

According to him, the implementation of the local content should be followed as enshrined in the MAP regulations, which will enable the local electricity meter manufacturers to be up and doing.

“The meter manufactures would ensure production of meters to capacity, utilise their resources very well and adequately.

“Not only that, it will enable them to employ more Nigerians from the teeming unemployed in the country,’’ he said.

The EMMAN scribe commended the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the timely passage of the Meter Asset Regulations (MAP).

He also expressed the association’s profound gratitude to Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing for his concern and commitment toward addressing the metering gap in the sector.

“This is indeed a step in the right direction and will no doubt bridge the metering gap soonest if the MAP regulations are well harnessed.

“We are indeed very grateful to NERC for the local content initiative as enshrined in the regulations.

“We implore NERC to ensure that the MAP regulations are strictly monitored for effective performance by all parties involved.

“Our candid advice is that all the parties involved in this new initiative should cooperate with one another,’’ Ibrahim urged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance of NERC, Mr Dafe Akpeneye, had earlier explained that the policy would now be responsible for providing meters to customers, among other functions.

Akpeneye said that the main objective of the regulations was to provide standard rules to encourage the development of independent and competitive meter services in the electricity supply industry and eliminate estimated billing.

The provisions of the regulations are to be enforced by NERC from April 3.