Olusola Bello
As part of efforts to improve and reinforce competence whilst driving upskilling among technicians in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), leading manufacturer of electricity meters, MOJEC International has partnered with Sahara Foundation, Energy Training Centre (ETC) and Ikeja Electric to train several metering personnel through an end-user Metering Capacity Building (MCB) program in Lagos.
According to MOJEC, supporting metering technicians with skills needed to drive efficient metering is consequential to enhancing sector performance, as this will lead to an increase in revenue collection which in turn will bolster overall transmission and distribution capacityin addition to significant CAPEX improvements in the NESI.
This statement was made known during the kick-off of the training program, which held recently in Lagos and was attended by other eminent NESI stakeholders.
Head MAP &Metering Projects, MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company, Onuorah Michael, whilst addressing trainees stated that efficient metering will not only assuage deficiencies associated with poor metering process but also engender and build trust in customers.
“With the National end user metering gap just over 10 million today, the imperatives of a robust and efficient metering infrastructure in the NESI cannot be over-emphasized.Efficient metering will increase customer’s confidence in billing transparency, completely eradicate the quagmire of estimated billing, pave the way for cost-reflective tariff and provide much needed cash flow required by the market for value chain performance improvement”, he stated.
Whilst expounding the essence of the program, Onuorah stated that strategic partnership with key stakeholders in the industry is critical in expediting the national metering plan and creating job opportunities. According to him, the training program is a glowing testimony to MOJEC’s plan to upskill up to 10,000 meter technicians in the industry.
“Our strategic partnership with Ikeja electric, Sahara Foundation and Energy Training Centre (ETC) underscores our strong commitment to accelerate the national metering plan, Job creation and also aligns strategically with MOJEC’s short to medium term action plan to train and inject up to 10,000-meter installation technicians into the space.
“Our capacity to deploy over 3 million meters over the next 18 –months is underscored by investment in a state of the art meter manufacturing plant with an installed production capacity of 2 million units, our investment in people, process and technology”, he averred.
He went on to state that the training curriculum will cover a myriad of subjects, including:Introduction to Metering, Nigerian Metering Code, Meter Specifications and Standards, Power & Energy Calculation, Introduction to Nature, Sources and Drivers of Electrical Losses, Job Safety Analysis, Entrepreneurship, Meter Maintenance and Trouble Shooting.
