As the Federal Gov
ernment vets the procurement of one million electricity metres as part of its equity distribution scheme, the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo has revealed that a total sum of $350 billion would be required to raise power generation to a minimum of 20,000 megawatts (MW) over a span of 15 years.
Addressing newsmen at an opendoor meeting in Abuja recently the minister said that subject to the volatility of the local currency, about $1.5 million would be needed to produce one megawatts of gas power plant.
The further stated that although the earlier target of 6000mw to be delivered by December was not achieved.
According to him, the chances of acing 12,500mw more than doubled last year’s estimate within a two-year timeline was feasible.
Nebo said the new meters will be circulated to end-customers by the electricity distributions companies (DISCOS). Explaining why fitful power outages and proper payment leakages remain a major challenge for the ministry to overcome inspite of the huge amount of Sunken funds, he cited  causes of electricity theft as a prime reason.
He added that the private sector inherited a customer base that showed that more than 50 per cent do not have meters.
“Nigeria has the highest per capita electricity theft in the world.
“We have thieves who steal electricity, they maybe very well dressed as responsible citizens but they are thieves because they are not paying their electricity bills”, he said.
He explained that president Goodluck Jonathan approved the funding to give over one million meters to Nigerians to reduce the gap and they allow the Discos to fix the time that all Nigerians will get meters.