The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has said that the federal government has disbursed N12.7 billion to procure prepaid electricity meters in army barracks across the country.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, on Monday, the amount is from the N40 billion earmarked for the mass metering project, .
The minister made this known during the flagoff of the metering exercise at the headquarters of the 9th brigade of the Nigerian army, Ikeja Military Cantonment, Lagos State where he noted that the exercise would be in phases.
He said the Ikeja cantonment is the first phase of the exercise, which would last for six weeks before the second phase commences.
“Mass metering in army formations nationwide will enable us to know what is being consumed on a monthly basis in order to ensure appropriate billings and ease of collections,” Adelabu said.
“The overall intention, according to the Minister, is to eliminate and make estimated billing a thing of the past. Adelabu also said that the smart meters being installed are tamper-proof and would eradicate energy theft as it would be difficult to bypass the meters which also come with an app where customers can get statements of their consumption on a monthly basis.
The minister added that the meters allow interconnectivity between grid and off-grid solar power supply noting that part of the energy blueprint for the country involves building off-grid power sources such as solar energy for military barracks located in remote areas without grid supply.