Nigeria’s metering gap of approximately five million people, will in the long  run be more than triples, as Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) scheme gets underway, Armese Power Solution’s Chief Executive officer, Mr Imram Aslam Khoktar, has said.

Armese,  is one of the Meter Asset Providers approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the success of the new metering arrangement, which the Federal Government, launched in April 2018.

He said the metering gap of five million people was far  below the one recorded by the eleven power distribution companies (DisCos) during the enumeration exercise conducted by the firms.

Speaking to reporters in Lagos, he said the figures cumulatively declared by the DisCos are more than the metering gap of five million people, and as such means more jobs for MAPs.

Khokhar said: “Enumeration exercise conducted by the DisCos showed that the requirement for metering is likely going to  tripled the number projected. The supply, on the other hand, has serious gaps in the existing capacities. The supply base is a mix of local manufacturers and importers.”

According to him, local manufacturers are highly dependent on imports and therefore, are very few, adding that it would be difficult for local players to participate well in the metering sub-sector,  except there is funding.

The foreign meter firms, he said, have no liquidity problems, adding that the issue made them to play better than the local ones.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he said, sometimes provided, (N200/billion) st  single-digit for operators, adding the development is a  good one, capable of engandering the growth of the MAO scheme.

He urged meter asset providers to approach commercial banks for more money, with a view to grow their businesses.

More Nigerians, he said, would get meters and improve investment in the sub-sector in the event that meter asset providers and other operators are able to raise enough money for the scheme.

NERC’s order to meter asset providers to meet 30 per cent local content requirement, would help boost production of meters in the country and create jobs among other benefits.

The firm, he said, is ready to meet the needs of its customers in Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa and other states in the Southeast in order to  assist in reducing  the widening metering gap in Nigeria.