Power distribution Companies (Discos) has attributed the outrageous import duty on meters, imposed by the Nigerian government, to low metering of electricity users in the country.
In a statement issued by the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) in Abuja yesterday, Discos appealed to Nigerian government for a downward review of duty on imported meters to enhance faster metering of electricity consumers, which will in turn, speed up the ending of the estimated billing regime.
Sunday Oduntan, Executive Director Research and Advocacy at ANED, said that a number of the Meters Asset Providers (MAP) had the capacity to install around 3,000 meters per day for the Discos provided the meters were available.
He said there should be zero per cent import duty on meters, adding that they should assist local meter manufacturers to bring in components duty-free until Ajaokuta Steel Company is ready.
Odutan isisted that the high import duty at the ports is killing the power sector, and that when Customers are metered, they would be happy while estimated billing is not good for the DISCOs revenue collection drive.
RPT/Petrus/Monic.