Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a renewed push to reform Nigeria’s power sector and restore investor and consumer confidence, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has inspected major electricity infrastructure projects in Lagos, declaring that smart meters being delivered to the country will be distributed free of charge to electricity consumers.
The inspection began at the APM Terminal, Apapa Wharf, where the Minister verified the arrival of 23 containers carrying 1.4 million smart meters, part of a World Bank-supported programme designed to close Nigeria’s estimated eight-million-meter deficit across eleven electricity distribution companies, DisCos.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Adelabu said the visit was necessary to personally confirm delivery and fast-track clearance of the equipment at the port.
“I needed to be here to physically confirm the arrival of these meters and to ensure that all bottlenecks to their clearance are removed,” the Minister said. “This project is being implemented in collaboration with the World Bank to accelerate metering, improve transparency, and enhance liquidity in the power sector.”
He stressed that the meters would not be sold to consumers, aligning the initiative with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda.
“These smart meters will be distributed to electricity customers free of charge, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President,” Adelabu stated. “This is about fairness, accountability, and rebuilding trust between consumers and the power sector.”
From Apapa Wharf, the Minister proceeded to inspect the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, 2x60MVA Gas-Insulated Switchgear, GIS, Transmission Substation in Apapa, currently undergoing rehabilitation with support from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, JICA.
Adelabu described the project as critical to improving power supply to Apapa, one of Nigeria’s most economically strategic zones.
“Once completed, this substation will significantly improve electricity supply to Apapa and its environs, especially given the commercial and industrial importance of this axis,” he said.
The inspection tour concluded at the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, National Meter Test Station, NMTS, in Oshodi, where the Minister reviewed facilities responsible for ensuring meter accuracy and compliance with national standards.
The inspections signal a more hands-on regulatory approach by the Federal Government, as it seeks to tackle estimated billing, boost revenue collection, and stabilise Nigeria’s fragile electricity market.
