SHUKROH BUSARI
The data from the Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), revealed that over 7 million power consumers find themselves grappling with uncertainty as the shortage of meters continues to cast a shadow over the nation’s power sector.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the latest third-quarter report from NERC revealed that as of September 30, 2023, out of the 12,825,005 registered electricity customers, only 5,707,838 (44.51%) have been metered.
Meanwhile, this glaring undersupply highlights the significant gap between registered users and those equipped with meters, leaving a vast number of consumers in the dark about their electricity consumption.
Also, analysis of the quarterly reports indicates that electricity distribution companies managed to install a total of 504,729 meters from January to September 2023.
Thus, the NERC report highlights the Meter Asset Provider framework as the source of 147,736 installations during the third quarter, with an additional 207 meters installed under the National Mass Metering Programme framework.
In the same vein, the low deployment of meters continues to be attributed to the liquidity crisis within the power sector. Industry operators point to financial constraints as a major hindrance to addressing the metering shortfall.
In all, as the metering dilemma persists, millions of Nigerians remain in the dark, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to enhance the accessibility and reliability of electricity across the nation.