By Mary Emeka
The Federal Government has launched the Power Force Programme under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), a major intervention designed to bridge Nigeria’s electricity metering gap while creating employment opportunities for thousands of young Nigerians.
The programme was officially inaugurated on Thursday at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) in Idu, Abuja, by the Minister of Power, Hon. Joseph O. Tegbe.
The launch attracted key stakeholders in the power sector, including representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, NAPTIN, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), electricity distribution companies (DisCos), development partners, and officials of the Presidential Metering Initiative.
Speaking at the event, Tegbe said the initiative is a critical component of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and accountability in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
He explained that the Presidential Metering Initiative, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November 2023, seeks to deploy five million smart meters nationwide by 2027.
According to the minister, the initiative is expected to reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses from the current 40 per cent to the global benchmark of 20 per cent, improve revenue collection, enhance energy accountability and support the development of a smarter electricity grid.
Tegbe noted that the Power Force Programme will train 5,000 young Nigerians as certified metering technicians to support the nationwide installation of smart meters.
He added that the broader initiative is projected to generate more than 20,000 jobs for local meter assemblers and installers, while increasing the revenue of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry to about ₦3 trillion within the next three years.
Describing smart metering as central to the Tinubu administration’s power sector reform agenda, the minister stressed that it would promote fairness between electricity consumers and service providers.
“Every Nigerian deserves to pay only for the electricity they consume, and every service provider deserves to be compensated for the electricity genuinely supplied—that is the fairness smart metering guarantees,” Tegbe said.
He urged participants selected for the programme to approach the training with professionalism and dedication, noting that their contributions would play a significant role in transforming Nigeria’s electricity sector and strengthening the nation’s economy.
The Power Force Programme is one of the flagship components of the Presidential Metering Initiative aimed at addressing the country’s long-standing metering deficit while empowering Nigerian youths with technical skills and sustainable employment opportunities.