FG trains 5,000 smart meter installers to boost nationwide meter rollout
The federal government has launched the training of 5,000 smart meter installers under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), describing the programme as a major step towards accelerating the deployment of seven million electricity meters and closing Nigeria’s metering gap.
The programme, known as Power Force, was inaugurated on Thursday at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) headquarters in Abuja, where the first batch of successful applicants commenced a three-week practical and classroom training.
Organisers said the initiative attracted nearly 220,000 applications from young Nigerians across the country.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the trainees would play a critical role in expanding access to smart metering nationwide.
“Behind every successful metering programme must stand thousands of competent, certified and dedicated technicians. The 5,000 young Nigerians being trained under this initiative will become the backbone of Nigeria’s smart metering workforce,” Tegbe said.
He noted that the initiative goes beyond meter installation to creating employment opportunities and strengthening technical capacity in the power sector.
“The Power Force initiative demonstrates that our electricity reforms are not merely about equipment and technology; they are equally about creating opportunities, building human capital and securing livelihoods,” the minister added.
Tegbe also commended the Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria (AMMON) for withdrawing its legal challenge against the meter deployment programme, saying the move had removed “a significant obstacle” to faster nationwide meter rollout.
Representing the Chairman of the Presidential Metering Initiative Board and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Edmund Obiora Nnaji said the initiative was designed to improve both electricity service delivery and youth empowerment.
“PMI is not just about fixing the finances of the power sector through metering. It is also about impacting the lives of young Nigerians through training and skills development,” he said.
