FG/NMMP suspends meters distribution as fraud allegations rise
The first phase of the Federal Government-funded National Mass Metering Programme, NMMP, billed for August may have been suspended following allegations of fraud by the Central Bank of Nigeria against some of the Meter Asset Providers, MAPs.
A source, who pleaded anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told our correspondent that there was no indication that the Phase 1 meters distribution would commence this month, as power distribution companies were yet to be furnished with meters.
The NMMP is an initiative of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, in conjunction with the Presidential Power Task Force. The initiative was launched in August 2020 to allow the CBN to fund the acquisition of meters on behalf of DisCos by paying directly to the MAPs. The free metering programme commenced with the Phase 0 where one million meters were supposed to have been distributed.
However, the CBN, on July 20, asked the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, to freeze accounts belonging to 157 MAPs for allegedly diverting funds meant for the procurement of prepaid meters.
The central bank, in a suit, requested commercial banks to restrict the account of 10 companies that received power sector intervention funds under the NMMP for 180 days pending the outcome of its investigation.
Our correspondent on Sunday, learnt that because of the ongoing court case, free mass programme had also been put on hold until further notice.
Theconscienceng also gathered from a reliable source that the DisCos had accused some MAPs of not supplying them with enough meters during the last visits by the CBN to the DisCos’ offices.
