Kaduna Electric has commenced the installation of free prepaid electricity meters in Samaru Community, Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, as part of efforts to eliminate estimated billing and improve accountability in electricity consumption.
The initiative was officially flagged off during a ceremony held in the community.
Speaking at the event, the Head of the Metering Project at Kaduna Electric, Abba Ali Maiborno, said the project is being implemented under the World Bank–supported Strategic Renewable Energy Programme (SREP) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, and is being supervised by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Project Management Unit (PMU).
Maiborno explained that the primary objective of the project is to ensure that electricity consumers are properly metered, thereby eradicating estimated billing and promoting transparency within the power sector.
“We are trying to eradicate estimated billing and ensure customers are properly metered so that there is accountability for the energy consumed,” he said.
He noted that although Kaduna Electric operates at the distribution level of the electricity value chain, revenue generated from customers is crucial to sustaining the entire sector, including power transmission and generation.
“The money collected from customers is used to fund TCN and generation companies. About 70 per cent of electricity generation in Nigeria depends on gas, and these funds are required to purchase gas for power generation,” he explained.
Maiborno assured customers of the quality and reliability of the meters, saying that all meters supplied under the project have been tested and certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).
He further emphasized that both the meters and their installation are completely free of charge, urging customers to disregard any contrary information.
“These meters are free, and the installation is also free. Customers are not expected to pay a dime,” he stressed.
On the scope of the project, Maiborno disclosed that about 5,000 meters have already been delivered to Zamfara State as the first batch, with additional supplies expected in the coming months.
According to him, Kaduna Electric is expected to receive a total of 73,050 meters, out of which 25,000 meters are scheduled to arrive by February, while the remaining batches will be delivered before the completion of the project.
He added that the World Bank–supported metering project is expected to be completed by May 2026 across Nigeria.
Maiborno called on electricity consumers in the state to cooperate fully with Kaduna Electric staff during the installation process to ensure the success of the project.
“We want maximum cooperation from customers. They should accept the meters and support our staff working within their communities,” he appealed.
He also noted that both single-phase and three-phase meters are being deployed to accommodate different categories of electricity users.
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting pilot community, Alhaji Sani Banker commended the initiative, described it as timely and beneficial.
He assured the company of the community’s full cooperation to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
