KERC, PEEMADI & KEDL ADVANCE PLAN FOR AFFORDABLE METERS

The Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission, KERC, has advanced plans with the Power, Equipment and Electrical Machinery Development Institute, PEEMADI, and Kogi Electricity Distribution Limited, KEDL, to close the metering gap and make meters affordable for consumers across the state.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of KERC, Engr. Ibrahim Sunday Abdwaaris, stated this on Wednesday when he hosted the Acting Managing Director/CEO of PEEMADI, Engr. Abdussalam El-Suleiman, PhD, alongside KEDL management at the Commission’s Lokoja headquarters to chart a strategic roadmap for metering.

“KERC is a young institution but the challenges before it are old: erratic power, high metering gaps, and weak infrastructure,” Engr. Abdwaaris said. He noted that the Commission was created to fix these problems by building a structured and fair electricity market that will transform Kogi’s economy.

Engr. Abdwaaris said KERC’s recent technical visit to PEEMADI’s facility in Okene confirmed the Institute’s strong manufacturing and engineering capacity. He added that this gave the Commission confidence that PEEMADI can produce quality meters to address the gap of over 100,000 unmetered customers in Kogi State.

The KERC Chairman explained that the Commission’s vision goes beyond increasing meter numbers. “The objective is to ensure every household, including those in rural communities, can afford and access meters that guarantee accurate billing and eliminate estimated billing,” he said.

Engr Abdwaaris stressed that accuracy and affordability must remain central to the design and production process.

The KERC Chairman/CEO added that working with PEEMADI would build indigenous capacity; “Local meter assembly and transformer refurbishment will grow our supply chain, create jobs for our youth, empower engineers, and increase the IGR of Kogi State,” he stated.

The Honourable Commissioner for Rural and Energy Development, Engr. Abdulmutalib Mohamed, represented by his Technical Adviser, Alhaji Isah Hussaini, described PEEMADI as a credible development partner whose objectives align with Kogi State’s priorities in poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, rural infrastructure, and community development.

The Commissioner said the Ministry would support the collaboration by providing an enabling policy environment, facilitating access to government institutions and communities, and integrating viable PEEMADI programmes into the state development plan. He recommended a structured engagement framework, identification of priority sectors, and a joint monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Engr. Abdusalam El-Suleiman, PhD, Acting MD/CEO of PEEMADI, applauded the confidence reposed in the Institute by KERC and the Ministry. He highlighted PEEMADI’s Smart Pre-paid Energy Meter, SPEM, with an Anti-Theft Monitoring system, SPEM-ATM. “It is an advanced metering solution developed to address estimated billing disputes, revenue leakage, and high ATC&C losses in Nigeria’s electricity market,” he said.

Engr. Abdusalam assured that PEEMADI has the capacity to design non-smart and smart pre-paid meters to KERC’s specifications at affordable cost.

The Acting MD/CEO of KEDL, Mr. Desmond Eboh, welcomed the partnership, noting that metering is pivotal in the electricity business. “Even minor errors in production can result in significant losses. We urge PEEMADI to manufacture meters that are safe, reliable, and affordable,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Engr. Abdusalam Yusuf, PhD, KERC Commissioner for Market, Competition, and Rate, reiterated the need for low-cost metering solutions.

Engr Abdusalam said consumers in underserved areas with low consumption cannot afford expensive meters, and stressed that meters must be smart and weather-resistant for pole mounting. KERC, PEEMADI, and KEDL agreed to set up a Joint Technical Committee to finalize a roadmap and draft a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on metering, transformer maintenance, and capacity development across Kogi State.