NERC To Support Indigenous Meter Manufacturers

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), says it would support indigenous meter manufacturers in the country.

Chairman of the commission, Dr Sam Amadi, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Amadi said the support would enable local manufacturers to ensure prompt delivery of meters to customers.

“We are 100 per cent supporting indigenous meter manufacturers, but finance has been a major challenge for the installation,” he said.

Amadi said that insufficient fund to purchase meters had posed a challenge to the sector, assuring that the equipment would soon be available.

Amadi said two options were open to close the “metering gap” in the electricity industry, saying the options included customer financing and installation by accredited vendors.

Under the first option, a willing customer can pay money to the distribution companies and a meter is installed in the premise within 54 days.

He said the companies would, in turn, be reducing the customer’s electricity bills on a monthly basis in line with the amount originally advanced by the customer.

He said under the second option, the commission would accredit vendors who would supply and install the meters to customers.