By Ken Afor
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, Thursday, commissioned a factory manufacturing electric meters in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The factory is operated by Advanced Energy Management Solutions, Ltd. (AEMDL), with a capacity of 1.4 million pre-paid meters annually.
The Vice President expressed his gratitude to the company for aiding the government in tackling the electricity problems endemic to the country.
He further declared that with their help, Nigerians will now be able to access prepaid meters at lower rates.
With the inauguration of the factory, it will reduce the heavy burden on the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to meet up with the 12,542,581 registered energy consumers in the country waiting for prepaid meters.
It will ramp up the number of installed prepaid meters in the country from the current 171,107 units in use as at April 2023 according to the last available data.
Okechukwu Onyejiuwa, the Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Energy Management Solutions, said that the factory is capable of producing 1.4 million meters yearly to address power deficiency in the nation.
He mentioned that the factory was founded to back the government’s effort to resolve the power supply problems in the country by resolving the imperative issues of large metering gap amongst consumers.
Onyejiuwa said that the firm was set up in response to the federal government’s drive for both national and foreign investors to invest in Nigeria, hence increasing employment and encouraging economic development.
“This factory has the capacity to produce 1.4 million meters annually. The establishment is to support the government’s efforts to resolve the power supply challenges facing the country by addressing the critical issue of a very high metering gap amongst consumers.
“This facility possesses the capability to produce Single Phase and Three Phase as well as Maximum Demand Meters. The manufacturing facility is equipped with advanced, cutting-edge equipment and machinery to manufacture a wide range of MD and non-MD smart energy meters, as well as feeder meters of accuracy class ranging from 0.2S to 1S in compliance with national and international standards.
“The factory is set to create about 500 direct jobs comprising majorly engineers, technicians as well as finance and administration professionals. In addition to the direct jobs, we estimate that there will also be over 4,000 jobs created by the activities of this company.
“The operations of this factory will stimulate economic activities in the country especially given the high-tech nature of the skills required for the manufacturing process.
“It will also conserve scarce foreign exchange through reduction in the cost of imported raw materials, developing local raw materials sources and the potential for export to other countries within Africa and other parts of the world in the near future.”
He also asserted that it is preferable to favour local energy meter manufacturers with demonstrated abilities rather than outsourcing supply of such meters to foreign entities and allowing them exemptions on import taxes.
He said: “Sourcing of foreign exchange to import machines, equipment and raw materials has been a herculean task in recent years. When manufacturers are left with no alternative but to source foreign exchange from the alternative market, the consequences are that the price of the finished product is impacted very negatively, and the capacity is constrained.
“The impact of steady power supply in a manufacturing outfit such as this cannot be over-emphasized. The high cost of diesel and the attendant inefficiency in generating our own power supply is certainly not sustainable, both for the company and for the nation.
“It is therefore pertinent that the government encourages investors and even makes further investments in the energy sector which holds the key to unlock huge potential in other sectors of the economy.
“On a short trip to deliver our meters from this factory to Enugu for instance, one will encounter over 15 checkpoints and roadblocks comprising police, army, produce inspection, emblem checkers and so many government and quasi government organs who stop vehicles carrying goods indiscriminately to extort and collect taxes and levies prescribed by them and often not backed by law.
“There is certainly an urgent need to improve ease of doing business, harmonise revenue/tax collection and c reate a more conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Ultimately, the nation benefits from increased revenue from better performing production driven enterprises.”
