By Babajide Okeowo
There is good news for electricity customers who paid for meters under the Meter Asset Provider, MAP scheme as modalities are being worked out for a refund either through upfront payment or amortised payments.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC gave this cheering news recently.
“All customers who made payment for meters under the MAP scheme would be refunded. The modality for the refund of the meter’s cost funded by the customers either through upfront payment or amortised payments is being worked out” Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Faloseyi disclosed.
Recall that under the MAP scheme, which kicked off on May 1, 2019, customers have two options for acquiring a meter: upfront payment and payment in installments through metering service charges on a monthly basis.
The MAP Regulations was approved by NERC in March 2018 to fast-track the closure of the metering gap in the sector through the engagement of third-party investors (called meter asset providers) for the financing, procurement, supply, installation, and maintenance of meters.
But the scheme has suffered setbacks, including changes in fiscal policy and the limited availability of long-term funding, according to the regulator.
NERC also disclosed that all the Distribution Companies, DISCOS had keyed into the new initiative, NMMP, adding, “Meter deployments are commencing in earnest across all Discos under the first phase of the NMMP.
It said the first rollout of meters had already commenced based on meters that were already available at the warehouses of the Discos/meter asset providers.
