The federal government is to procure 1.25 million metres with the $120 billion World Bank loan.
The procured metres will be distributed to power distribution companies at reduced costs to ensure massive deployment under Phase 2 of the National Mass Metering Programme of government.
This is in furtherance of efforts to end estimated billing of electricity consumers by power distribution companies across the country, following a directive by President Bola Tinubu.
The bids submitted by bidders for the procurement were opened in Abuja, on Thursday.
Assistant General Manager of the World Bank Project Implementation Unit in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Tukur Bamalli, expressed the determination of the federal government 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.
“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.”
Bamalli explained that the National Mass Metering Programme is in three phases, which are Phase 0, Phase 1 and Phase 2. “This is under Phase 2 of the mass metering programme,” he added.
He further explained that the cost of the meters would be determined after the evaluation process, since the bids had just been submitted, adding that the cost of the meters would be reduced to enable mass purchase.
