‘More metering manufacturing firms coming’

Indications  have emerged that more companies are coming into the mainstream  of meter production in the country, just as meter asset providers (MAPs) will roll out meters to 4,606,106 electricity consumers soon.

The idea will enable them to maintain a stronghold of the metering sub-sector, as they would be regarded as part of the indigenous meter producers approved by the Federal Government, in order to give the new metering scheme a success.

The Electricity Meter Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN) Executive Secretary, Mr Muhideen Ibrahim, said the body will usher in more members soon, as the new metering scheme, introduced by the Federal Government in April, 2018, is underway.

In an interview with The Nation, at the weekend, he said, both registered and non-registered members of the Electricity Meter Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN) were approved by the government, to carry out the responsibility of providing meters to the unmetered segment of the Nigerian population.

According to him, some of the firms approved by the government are not yet members of EMMAN, adding that there is hope that they would soon be part of what he described as indigenous metering family soon.

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Muhideen said: “EMMAN members include MOMAS Electricity Meter Manufacturing   Company Limited (MEMMCOL), Unistar Hi-Tech System Limited and few others. With meter asset providers commencing operation in the country, members that are outside the fold are expected to become members. Those outside the fold are firms that are not members of EMMAN, but by the reasoning of the new metering scheme, are required to carry out functions relating to metering of the electricity customers.”

He, however, said the body is not envisaging problems from the operators, noting that they must have taken care of some impediments, prior to their approval as MAPs by the Federal Government.

Infrastructure, he said, is a major problem in the power sector, which they are also aware of, adding that they must have resolved that problem.

He said funding cannot be a problem to meter asset providers, stressing that many of them have identified and addressed the problem, prior to the period the scheme started.

“The companies that eventually got  the nod to become meter asset providers have their financial institutions, which they have approached for funding, knowing full well that they need enough liquidity to survive in the Nigerian economy. As for funding, I do not envisage any problem in that area,” he added.

He said each of the MAPs has its own power distribution companies, stressing that the essence of the new metering arrangement   is to allow the approved meter providers forge a strong relationship with any of the 11 DisCos in the country, in order to ensure a seamless operation.

Some of the DisCos, Muhideen said, have accredited vendors with respect to the MAP initiative, noting that the firms have started pilot studies in their area of jurisdictions.

He added that Ikeja Electric has begun a pilot study in some of the area, it  covers, adding that Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has started rolling out meters within the Federal capital Territory (FCT).