Electricity Meter: Local Manufacturers Demand More Roles In DISREP Programme

A fierce battle is unfolding in Nigeria’s power sector, pitting indigenous meter manufacturers against a World Bank-backed procurement framework that they say risks sidelining local industry.

At the centre of the dispute is the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) ICB 2, a major metering intervention designed to close Nigeria’s massive metering gap.

The Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria (AMMON) has refused to withdraw its court injunction against the programme unless the federal government provides concrete, legally binding guarantees for local participation.

In a strongly worded communication to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), AMMON demanded at least 50 per cent of DISREP meter volumes be allocated to qualified Nigerian manufacturers, or alternatively mandatory CKD/SKD arrangements requiring foreign suppliers to partner with local assemblers.

“We have invested billions of naira in factories, machinery, and technology transfer. We are ready,” said AMMON President, Ahmed. “The question is whether the government is ready to back its words with action.”

The association argues that Nigeria’s metering gap represents a strategic opportunity to deepen local manufacturing, create jobs, conserve foreign exchange, and boost industrial capacity.

It warns that excluding indigenous firms contradicts the federal government’s Nigeria First policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Trust remains a critical issue. AMMON cites previous interventions where local manufacturers incurred heavy financial commitments during procurement, only to face prolonged implementation delays. “We have been burnt before,” said a senior official. “We cannot rely on future assurances without enforceable timelines.”

The association is demanding immediate execution of existing NCB 1 contracts within 14 days and commencement of contracts under the Presidential Metering Initiative covering about 750,000 meters.

Foreign suppliers face particular criticism. “Some carry briefcases but have no factories. They are middlemen who add no value to our economy,” one AMMON executive said.

The new Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, now faces the delicate task of balancing urgent infrastructure delivery with long-term industrialisation. International financiers have their own procurement rules, yet the President’s Nigeria First policy demands prioritisation of local manufacturing.

“The minister has a tough job,” said an industry source. “He needs to satisfy both sides, deliver meters quickly, and build local industry. It requires political will and creative thinking.”