Business

Only 980,000 consumers benefitted from Phase 0 of FG’s meter scheme — NERC

Published

5 years ago

December 27, 2021

As many Nigerians clamour for pre-paid meters, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission says about 980,000 electricity consumers have so far been metered across the country, under the Phase Zero of the scheme.

This was contained in a Review of Power Sector in 2021 report published by the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday.

In the second phase of the scheme, which is billed to begin in the first quarter of 2022, NERC pointed out that about four million meters will be supplied strictly by local manufacturers.

The Chairman, Momas Electricity Meter Manufacturing Company, Kola Balogun, revealed that the second phase could create 500,000 jobs for Nigerians through local manufacturing and installation of prepaid meters.

Balogun said: “The President Muhammadu Buhari administration must be commended for initiating the NMMP because there is an urgent need to bridge the metering gap in the power sector.

“I want to appreciate the government because the intervention that came to manufacturers under the phase zero was a huge success.

“It gave manufacturers the opportunity to have a tested process in place to know their capabilities and capacities and what they can give to the market.

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“The volume given to us was tested against the equipment, manpower and why we need to upscale further.”

Recall that in May 2021, the Federal Government announced that it was planning to sell five power Generation Companies to investors through the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

The bidding processes for the GenCos, which are part of the National Integrated Power Project, have already commenced.

Then, the NIPP projects being considered for sale were: Geregu Generation Company Limited with installed capacity at ISO condition of 506 Megawatt; Benin (Ihovbor) Generation Company Limited with 507 MW; and Calabar Generation Limited with 634MW.

Others were Omotosho Generation Limited, with 513MW; and Olorunsogo Generation Company Limited, with 754MW.

The National Coordinator, All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, Adeola Samuel-Ilori, while sharing his views on the development, noted that while the BPE had directed that the bidders must not only have prior experience in power generation, the government must also ensure that they adhere to the requirements.

Samuel-Ilori said: “We don’t want it to be mere rhetorics as we have seen in the sales of critical national assets in the past; particularly in the same power sector.

“For us, as electricity consumer group, we can only support the selling of these power plants to investors that have both technical and financial competence.

“Anything short of that will not be good for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and will further put more electricity consumers in darkness.”

Perhaps in a move to revolutionize the transformation in the sector, President Muhammadu Buhari on September 1 in the first and last cabinet shake-up sacked the Minister of Power, Salleh Mamman,

He replaced him with Abubakar Aliyu, who until his appointment was Minister of State for Works.

Aliyu’s mandate includes ensuring that the Federal Government’s vision for the power sector, which is to improve access to electricity for all Nigerians in order to lift the country out of poverty, is achieved.

Since assumption of office, the Minister has held several engagements with stakeholders in the sector with a view to finding lasting solutions to its challenges.

Still, electricity consumer groups believe ensuring that the NERC adequately performs its statutory responsibilities should be a major focus of the new Minister.

The country plans to generate 30,000MW by 2030 with 3,000MW coming from renewable and 27,000MW from its power plants to serve its over 200 million people.

However, power generation still hovers just above 5,000 MW despite the 13,000MW installed capacity eight years after the sector was privatised.

From generation to transmission and distribution, Nigerians have continued to ask for more, in agitation to get good power supply.

The Eagle

Related Topics:benefitted Consumers Featured FG meter NERC Phase 0

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Auto

NADDC Pushes Affordable Auto Loans to Boost Vehicle Ownership, More Jobs

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2026

Trends Admin

NADDC Pushes Affordable Auto Loans to Boost Vehicle Ownership, More Job

The National Automotive Design and Development Council has called for far-reaching reforms in vehicle financing to make car ownership more affordable while boosting local vehicle assembly, job creation and industrial development.

The Council said a properly structured financing system could turn vehicle credit from a mere consumer lending product into a major economic tool for expanding productive mobility and strengthening Nigeria’s automotive value chain.

Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin, stated this in an address delivered on his behalf by the Council’s Principal Information Officer, Tanko Kyumnom, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Auto Sectoral Group Symposium in Lagos.

The symposium, held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Henry Fajemirokun Hall of LCCI, was themed: “From Subsidy to Credit: Can Vehicle Financing Replace Fuel Subsidy as Nigeria’s Mobility Equaliser?”
Osanipin said the growing cost of mobility had made it necessary to explore financing models that would enable individuals, businesses and transport operators to acquire vehicles without bearing the full cost of ownership upfront.

According to him, spreading vehicle payments over an agreed period could provide a more sustainable pathway to vehicle acquisition, provided that the financing products are affordable, accessible and structured around the economic realities of Nigerian consumers.

He, however, cautioned that simply making credit available would not be enough.
“Vehicle financing offers a more sustainable approach by enabling individuals, businesses and transport operators to acquire vehicles and pay for them over time,” Osanipin stated.
The NADDC DG said the bigger opportunity lies in linking vehicle financing with the growth of locally assembled and Nigerian-made vehicles.

He explained that increased access to credit for locally produced vehicles could generate wider economic benefits by stimulating demand for domestic assembly, supporting component manufacturers, creating jobs and strengthening local supply chains.

Osanipin therefore urged stronger collaboration among government institutions, financial institutions, vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders in designing financing schemes capable of supporting both mobility access and automotive industrialisation.

The NADDC boss identified affordable vehicle loans, leasing arrangements, fleet financing, credit guarantees and appropriate interest-rate support as mechanisms that could broaden access to vehicle ownership and productive mobility.

lt also stressed the need for repayment structures that take into account the earning patterns and business realities of Nigerians, particularly transport operators and small businesses whose vehicles are directly linked to their income-generating activities.

Osanipin maintained that the objective should extend beyond increasing the number of vehicles on Nigerian roads.
“The goal is not simply to put more vehicles on Nigerian roads. It is to ensure that Nigerians can access productive mobility without placing an unsustainable burden on government finances or household incomes,” he said.

According to him, a properly structured automotive financing system could create a stronger connection between mobility, economic inclusion and domestic vehicle production.

“With the right policies and partnerships, vehicle financing can become a powerful instrument for mobility, economic inclusion and automotive industrial development,” Osanipin added.

The NADDC’s position places vehicle financing within the broader effort to build a sustainable automotive ecosystem in Nigeria—one in which access to credit supports vehicle users while also creating stronger demand for local assembly, components and associated automotive services.

Auto

Jetour T1 Storms Abuja as Automaker Accelerates Nigeria Expansion

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Jetour T1 Set to debut in Abuja as Expansion Gains Momentum

Following a successful debut in Lagos, Jetour Nigeria will host the Jetour Experience Abuja from September 22 to 24, 2026, positioning its all-new T1 model as a major competitor in the country’s growing adventure SUV market.

The three-day event in the Federal Capital Territory will give prospective buyers and motoring enthusiasts direct access to product demonstrations, expert-led technical sessions, and hands-on test drives.

“Strong participation, extensive test drives, and significant sales enquiries at the Lagos edition, coupled with growing demand from Abuja residents, influenced the decision to bring the experience to the nation’s capital,” the company said in a statement. The show holds at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki.

To support its growing national footprint, Jetour Nigeria has established a network of seven accredited dealers: Elizade Nigeria Limited, New Era AutoVehicle Services Limited, Kojo Motors, Germaine Auto Centre, Tab Autos Limited, R.T. Briscoe Motors, and Mandilas Autos. The partnerships cover retail sales, genuine spare parts supply, and comprehensive after-sales maintenance.

Jetour T1 Set to debut in Abuja as Expansion Gains Momentum

Auto

Abuja Demand Rises as Jetour Brings X70 Plus Experience to FCT

Published

3 days ago

September 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Abuja Demand Rises as Jetour Brings X70 Plus Experience to FCT

Jetour Nigeria is taking its seven-seater X70 Plus SUV to Abuja as rising interest from motorists in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states fuels the brand’s latest push to deepen its presence across Nigeria.

The X70 Plus will headline the Jetour Experience Abuja, holding from September 22 to 24 at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki, following the strong response recorded during the Lagos edition, where motorists turned out for test drives and made enquiries about Jetour models.

The Abuja activation is designed to give prospective buyers direct access to the X70 Plus and other models, with opportunities to test-drive the vehicles, engage product specialists and experience their technology, safety and comfort features.

The X70 Plus is positioned as a family-oriented SUV, offering seven-seat capacity and a range of features targeted at customers seeking comfort, technology and practicality.

The SUV is available with 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre turbocharged engine options, with outputs of up to 145kW and 290Nm of torque, paired with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.