FG opens bid for procurement of 1.2m meters in World Bank-funded scheme

The federal government has opened the bids for phase two of the national mass metering programme (NMMP) which is to be funded from a $155 million World Bank loan.

The ceremony, which took place in Abuja on Thursday, had 47 firms — both local and international — submit bids for the procurement of 1.25 million electricity metering devices.

Speaking at the event, Olu Verheijen, the special adviser to the president on energy, said the federal government is committed to ending electricity estimated billing throughout the country to reflect cost-reflective tariffs.

“The federal government of Nigeria is committed to delivering reliable and cleaner electricity to Nigerian people and businesses. We are embarking on reforms that will improve the performance of Distribution Companies (Discos) as we continue our trajectory to cost-reflective tariffs,” she said.

“In the first step to fulfilling our campaign promise to end estimated billing, we are launching phase two of the ambitious national mass metering programme. The phase involves procuring 1.2 million pre-paid meters, with the procurement process set to begin this month.”

Verheijen said the government wants to build trust and public confidence by ensuring people pay for the electricity they consume.

Also speaking, Tukur Bamalli, assistant general manager of the World Bank project at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), said the federal government is determined to conclude the metering scheme.

“We have just closed the submission of bids and the opening ceremony for the supply and installation of smart meters. We have received the bids. President Bola Tinubu decided that estimated bills should be abolished by making sure we supply meters to the 11 distribution companies,” he said. 

“We are procuring 1.25 million meters, funded by the World Bank. The supply of smart meters to the distribution companies to end estimated billing is in phases. 

“This programme is Phase 2, which started in February 2021 and the loan became effective in February 2023. So we have already received the bids and very soon the contracts will be signed.”

Bamali said because the bids have just been submitted, the cost of the metres would be determined after the review process. 

He added that the cost of the meters would be reduced to allow for mass buying.