By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said 583,960 meters had been distributed under the Meter Assets Provider (MAP) scheme, adding that 5,855 customers who had paid for prepaid meters were yet to get their meters.
NERC said this in its reply to a Freedom of Information (FOI) application by an electricity consumer group that requested for data on the number of meters distributed by the DisCos under both programmes.
The letter, which was signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Mrs Ada Ozoemena, on behalf of its chairman, was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to NERC, 508,439 customers have been metered so far under the MAP scheme of the Federal Government which was flagged off on Oct. 30, 2020 with a target of six million meters by 2023.
NAN reports that a group, the All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum (AECPF), had asked NERC to provide data on the total number of meters distributed so far by the DisCos under both programmes.
The letter dated June 28 and signed by Mr Adeola Samuel-Ilori, National Coordinator, AECPF, asked the agency to provide the information within seven days of receiving the letter pursuant to Section 4 (1) (2) of the FOI Act.
Samuel-Ilori, while commending NERC for its response to the request, said the group had conducted a survey on customers who paid under the MAP scheme and were yet to get their meters.
He said the number was higher than the figures released by NERC, adding that the group would soon send FOI request to the various DisCos to get the detailed breakdown.
“It is necessary to have this data by our group to help fulfill one of the cardinal objectives, which includes monitoring the activities of power sector stakeholders as they affect the consumers,” Samuel-Ilori said.