FG to disburse N20bn to DisCos to meter unmetered Band A customers

Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, says the federal government will disburse a total of N20 billion to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) for the procurement of meters for unmetered Band A customers.

Adebayo spoke at the BusinessDay Energy Conference on Friday.

“Before I left the office yesterday, the chairman of NERC was in my office, Alhaji Garba Sanusi, and we have agreed that we have an accrued N20 billion for metering,” the minister said.

“And I said let’s release the N20 billion for the DisCos to procure metres for the unmetered band A customers. Before the end of September, that is going to happen.”

On May 31, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said the federal government has secured a $500 million World Bank loan to boost electricity distribution in the country.

Also, during the conference, Adelabu said the federal government will procure 3.5 million electricity meters in 2024.

He said the government has put in place the required framework to enable an injection of 1.5 million meters into the power sector through the World Bank distribution sector recovery programme (DISREP).

“This year two million meters are going to be procured plus the 1.5 million meters from World Bank. We are going to have 3.5 million meters installed by the year-end,” Adelabu said.

He said the government will ensure an annual injection of two million meters “which will be procured for the next five years — that is 10 million meters”.

Adelabu said funding for the initiative is being finalised.