By Lucy Ogalue

The Federal Government has described the kidnapping of train passengers at Tom Ikimi Train Station, Igueben in Edo as despicable and utterly barbaric.

The Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Henshaw Ogubike, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

“The Public is hereby reassured that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped train passengers.

“The Nigeria Police is on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.

“The government is saddened by this unpleasant development and assures on its prompt response to the ugly situation.

“Further details will be communicated later, ” Ogubike stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some suspected herdsmen allegedly armed with AK 47 riffles attacked the train station at Igueben on Jan. 7 and kidnapped some passengers waiting to board the train to Warri. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Benson Iziama/Idris Abdulrahman

By Emmanuella Anokam, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Following the instability in the European gas market occasioned by Russia-Ukraine war which started in February 2022, the European Union (EU) looks up to Nigeria as an alternative to supplement its gas needs.

The EU currently imports 14 per cent Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Nigeria. Reports in the international oil and gas market indicate that the bloc could double this figure.

As EU seeks alternative to dwindling gas supplies by Russian, Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources says it has a number of enablers and initiatives to fill the gap as well as lift the nation’s oil and gas industry to greater heights.

The enablers to realise potential of gas sector include the development of critical infrastructure and systems such as the declaration of the Decade of Gas.

In March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari declared Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2030 as “The Decade of Gas Development for Nigeria”, primarily to set the road map towards a gas -powered economy by 2030.

Others are the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas pipeline, Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), Trans Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP); and the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code projects.

The EU in partnership with the Federal Government had also expressed renewed interest to increase funding gas project in Nigeria to guarantee meeting local demands and earning foreign exchange from the international market.

To that effect, Chief Timipré Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, received and discussed with an EU delegation led by Mr Matthew Baldwim, Deputy Director-General, EU Energy Platform Task-Force, on partnering on technology and policies to drive the project.

The minister said the development would hasten the desire of EU to guarantee alternative to the gas it imports from Russia and enhance Nigeria’s presence in the international oil and gas market.

“We have always said that we are committed to gas as a transition fuel and today we are speaking the same language with the EU,’ the media quoted Sylva saying.

As Nigeria targets Europe and Trans-Saharan markets with on-going AKK Gas Pipeline construction, the minister has said the project was on track and would present a huge opportunity for Nigeria and others to tap into the European market.

The 2.8 billion dollars project which is being handled by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is the biggest single gas project in Nigeria and expected to boost domestic gas consumption, power generation and industrialisation.

When completed, the 614 kilometers pipeline will be Nigeria’s biggest domestic gas transmission infrastructure and conceived to stimulate domestic industrial growth. The pipeline will be delivered by a consortium of indigenous and international engineering firms.

This is also good for the manufacturers, because they now have incentives to produce more as people will be linked up and have access to gas then invest in a gas-based industry. The project will also eliminate gas flaring completely in the country,’’ he said.

To further enhance the quest for gas exploit, the Federal Government recently moved to fix the critical missing link in its effort to develop the country’s gas sector with the inauguration of the Governing Council of the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF).

The nine-member Council will mobilise funds to provide critical infrastructure for gas industry and identify relevant stakeholders that can increase domestic utilisation of natural gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Auto Gas.

The council will also develop a roadmap for transforming gas to a value addition product in Nigeria.

Sylva said although there are programmes towards achieving the decade of gas initiatives and developing Nigeria’s huge gas potential, the missing link remained paucity of basic gas infrastructure to propel the initiative.

The minister said that a major cause of low gas production, gas flaring and low domestic gas utilisation was infrastructure deficit in the country.

He said that it was estimated that more than 20 billion dollars would be required yearly over the next 10 years to bridge these gaps.

The Fund, established under Section 52 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), is a Directorate in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) while Section 52 (3) provides for the Governing Council to supervise and make investment decisions for the Fund.

As a Directorate within NMDPRA, the Minister said the Fund would be expected to benefit from its internal reporting, operational and organisational processes adding that in accordance with the PIA, 2021, the Council “shall supervise and make investment decisions for the Fund”.

Similarly, at a recent meeting with the U.S Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change, Sen. John Kerry, Sylva also sought U.S and global community’s support in funding, and technology to tackle climate change and transition to cleaner energy.

The meeting was also a boost for Nigeria to step up its efforts to reduce gas flaring and venting, and explore the opportunity of exploring the international market.

Also in pursuit of EU gas market, the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project recently received a boost following the signing of an MoU by the partners and five West African Countries.

The NNPC Ltd, Morocco’s National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the National Oil Companies and commercial entities of Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone executed the MoU in Moroccan capital, Rabat.

The NMGP is a 5,600Km gas pipeline project, transversing 13 countries namely Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania to Morocco and subsequently to Europe.

In September 2022, NNPC Ltd. and ONHYM signed MoU with ECOWAS Commission while in October 2022 it executed an MoU with Petrosen of Senegal and SMH of Mauritania, all on the NMGP Project.

Mele Kyari, Group CEO, NNPC Ltd. during the signing of the MoU said it represented a significant step in fulfilling the federal government’s drive towards harnessing Nigeria’s abundant gas resources through NMGP.

Kyari said other benefits of the project include creation of wealth and improvement in the standard of living of the citizenry, enhanced diplomatic cooperation while militating against desertification; among others.

He descried natural gas as a critical fuel in the transition towards net-zero, adding that NNPC Ltd. was well positioned to progress the NMGP project by leveraging its experience and technical capabilities.

“The NNPC Ltd will facilitate the continuous supply of gas and provide other enablers such as the required land for the first compressor station to be deployed in Nigeria which is among the 13 stations earmarked along the pipeline route,’’ he said.

Similarly, Kyari, while speaking on the AKK project explained that the pipeline, which was also conceived to connect demand from the northern part of the country with supply from the south would be the biggest infrastructure development in the country’s recent history.

The AKK pipeline project is itself a section of an ambitious pipeline project to supply gas to Europe through the proposed Trans Sahara Gas Pipeline and Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipelines.

“It will also mark a significant shift in the nation’s energy policy; from revenue, targeted export programmes to development-focused domestic supply programmes,’’ he said.

Some oil and gas experts also lent their voice towards meeting EU demand of gas from Nigeria, which they said could be possible through the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project.

Mr Olabode Sowunmi, said the industry, particularly the gas sector, offered Nigeria a very clear road for industrialisation.

Sowunmi, Senior Legislative Aid to the Senate President on Gas and Power, called for consistency in the Nigeria Gas Master Plan, especially on projects such as AKK, Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and West African Gas Pipeline. (NANFeatures)(www.nannews.ng)

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

In the past few days the media has been awash with news about the huge debt burden that the incoming government in May 29, would inherit from the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2023 budget of 21.83 trillion Naira into law and said the country would pay 1.8 trillion Naira in extra interest if the legislature rejects his loan-to-bond swap request.

A section of the Nigeria media had quoted the Debt Management Office (DMO) as saying that the incoming administration would inherit a debt burden of N77trillion.

Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, revealed that the country’s total public debt stock as at Sept. 2022 was N44trillion (103 billion dollars).

The bulk of the new borrowings is drawn from a loan-to-bond swap (proposed securitisation of Ways and Means Advances) from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and new borrowings to fund the 2023 budget.

The Ways and Means Advances are, however, not within the management and control of the DMO until they are securitised.

Securitisation is the conversion of an asset, especially a loan, into marketable securities, typically for the purpose of raising cash by selling the m to other investors. That is, loan-to-bond swap

If the Ways and Means Advances securitisation request by Mr President is approved by the National Assembly, they can be managed by the DMO, and turned into investable securities like bonds, with a moratorium, long period of repayment and lower interest rates.

And contrary to some misconception, the country’s total debt stock comprises both domestic and external borrowings of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to Patience Oniha, the Director-General of the DMO, the country’s debt would only reach N77trillion when the Ways and Means Advances from the CBN are securitised.

Oniha said that the securitisation of the Ways and Means Advances would enable the DMO to include the debt in the public debt stock thereby improving debt transparency.

She added that the total debt stock included external and domestic debts of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the FCT.

“Taking into account a number of on-going activities, the total public debt stock; that is the external and domestic debts of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the FCT would be about N77 trillion.

“The debts that will be added to the public debt data in 2023 include the one trillion Naira Ways and Means Advances to finance the supplementary budget, which has already been approved by the National Assembly (NASS).

“It also includes N22.72 trillion Ways and Means Advances currently under the consideration by the NASS.

“The projected debt stock for May 2023 also includes N5.567 trillion, representing about 50 per cent of the new borrowing of N11.134 trillion in the 2023 Appropriation Act.

“It also includes new Promissory Notes estimated at N1.5 trillion to be issued to settle arrears of the FGN and judgement debts,” she said.

She added that estimates for new borrowings by state governments and the FCT are also included.

“From these figures, it is clear that the Ways and Means Advances of N22.72 trillion which represents funds already spent, is the largest source of the increase,” Oniha said.

Analysts describe the Ways and Means Advances as a direct engagement between the Federal Government and the apex bank, with the DMO only able to take charge after the National Assembly approves securitisation of the advances.

According to Opeoluwa Akinyemi, an economist, one way that the Federal Government sources for loan locally is borrowing from the CBN through Ways and Means.

“The advantage of this option is that the debt is serviced in Naira, which we have control over, and CBN act enables CBN to decide the interest rate which could be as little as zero interest rate,” he said.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed explained that when the Ways and Means gets legislative backing, it would help reduce the current interest on it to about nine per cent, while also stretching repayment period to about 40 years.

According to Ahmed, at the moment, the Ways and Means is running at interest rates averaging 18.5 per cent.

“So, once the legislative approval is given, it will benefit from a lower interest cost of nine per cent and will benefit from a stretched initiated plan of 40 years with a three- year moratorium which will provide very significant relief to the Federal Government,” she said.

Ahmed emphasised that Nigeria was not planning to restructure its debt, adding that the country was committed to meeting its domestic and external debt obligations.

She said that the government would, however, continue to utilise appropriate debt management tools to streamline the cost and risk profile in the debt portfolio.

The minister said total public debt would rise to 35.3 per cent of GDP from 22.97 per cent with the loan conversion.

“The conversion and new borrowings would also take domestic debt to 70 per cent of total public debt in 2023, from 61.1 per cent currently”, she said.

Since 2015, the total amount of money the Federal Government borrowed from the CBN, through Ways and Means Advances to meet fiscal obligation has increased substantially.

Analysts say that such financing of the Federal Government by the CBN has the effect of debasing the local currency, and could worsen inflation.

It has, thus, become imperative for the Federal Government to take aggressive measures to improve revenue generation and curb dependence on domestic and external borrowings to fund its annual budgets.

This will also require a more committed drive towards moving from deficit budgeting annually towards equilibrium and even budget surplus which the country has potential to achieve.

And, as the Buhari’s tenure winds down on May 29, Nigerians are hopeful that the next President would take revenue generation and prudent expenditure more seriously, so as to ease the country’s debt burden. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

Ikuru Lizzy

Mr Erastus Awortu, Chairman, Andoni Local Government area in Rivers has urged politicians to rise above petty ambitions in the interest of peace.

Awortu made this known on Saturday at the grand finale of the Andoni Unity Festival in Ngo, headquarter of Andoni local government area.

He said that his administration had invested so much to achieve the level of peace it is currently enjoying, adding that no politician is permitted to take the area back to obscurity and unrest.

”The essence for the Unity Festival is to further strengthen communal peace and attract investment to Andoni.

”As the general elections approaches I’m sure you will remain committed to a violence-free exercise to help us continue to nuture potential economc interest of the area in the next political dispensation,” he said

According to him, some people have started consulting some of the repentant cultists who laid down arms to embrace peace.

”Sadly some over ambitious politicians are already trying to lure them back to violence and they’re already dishing out mouth watering promises.

”But I’m impressed that you stood your grounds and chose to work with us to sustain the peace in Andoni.

”They introduced you to politics, gave you guns and money to cause mayhem in Communities, killing your own brothers, they may chose other strategies but we’re saying: ‘Andoni must continue to enjoy peace and unity’.

”We must revive those positive aspects of our culture and attract investors to our land because economc growth is basically driven by peace which we have struggled so hard to achieve,” he said.

Awortu also noted that the festival and cultural exhibitions has further identified the area as a safe business Community for tourism.

”The natural ambience, wildlife, sand beach, sea deposits and a viable population of youths are indications that Andoni is a prosperous business hub,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Ismail AbdulAziz

By Bridget Ikyado

His Grace, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, has cautioned politicians against any attempt to rig the forthcoming general elections.

“With the current yearnings of the people for a better country, the election will no longer be business as usual,” Onaiyekan said on Saturday during the celebration of his 40th anniversary as Bishop, at the Holy Trinity Church, Maitama, Abuja.

“As regards to the results of the elections, politicians should desist from any form of manipulations to their favour if not voted for.

“All those who are planing to play games and scheme to rig in order to frustrate the desire of the decision of the people as regards the results of the elections, should desists from such.

“All of them whether they are in government or not; they should desist from rigging or causing violence, they should not do it, they should allow this election to run in a free and fair way,” he noted.

He assured that he has no special candidate, adding that the advice was for the politicians to understand that “the mood in which Nigeria now is, is not a mood that they will quietly accept a rigged election.

“For the sake of peace, there will be serious repercussions if anybody doesn’t allow a free and fair elections. It won’t be business as usual, anymore.

“I want Nigerians to know that they can no longer keep quiet all the time, hoping that things will change; that God will work miracles.”

Onaiyekan advised Nigerians to use their voter cards to express their minds.

According to him, the outcome of the election will no be about who has more campaign posters or can mobilise more crowds to stadiums.

“It will depend on who can convince Nigerians, and give us a new kind of government.

“Government that is based on people interested in working for the common good and not out to enrich themselves or stay in power or protect their stolen wealth so as not to be queried,” he said.

The Archbishop advised politicians to fear God, as they would answer to their actions before Him.

“Even if no one asks questions, God will ask questions and He has His way of asking questions,” he added.

Also during the church service, the cardinal narrated his journey through priesthood.

“on a Thursday afternoon, January  1983, Pope John Paul II ordained  me, Monsignor John Onaiyekan, a Bishop at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

“40 years after as a Bishop, I return thanks to God, many who were with me in that day are no more, but God through His special grace has kept me,” he said.

He prayed God to bless all who had come and those who couldn’t but have prayed for him.

In his speech, the Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama, described the cardinal as a man of humility and peace.

“So, we celebrate Gods gift to us in Nigeria, Abuja and in the world and i am happy that God has spared him thus far,” Kaigama said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that friends and clerics from within and outside Nigeria came out to celebrate the cardinal. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Stanley Nwanosike/Maharazu Ahmed

By Edeki Igafe

The President/Chairman of Tompolo Foundation, Mr Government Ekpemupolo popularly called Tompolo, has donated 458 single seater desks to the Nigerian Maritime University in Delta.

The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Dr Paul Bebenimibo, announced the donation on Saturday during the institution’s combined matriculation ceremony for the 2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the University is located at Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

Bebenimibo said that Tompolo was a strategic partner with the university, adding that he was putting measures in place to enable the institution to compete well with other world-class universities.

“Tompolo Foundation is presenting 458 single desks (furniture) worth millions of Naira to the NMU,” he said.

Responding, Prof. Emmanuel Adigio, the Vice Chancellor of the NMU, thanked Tompolo for the donation, noting that the gesture was a demonstration of his desire to educate his people.

“Tompolo contributes a lot to resolving all our challenges in the university. A lot of our chairs were brought in by him. A structure will be completed soon by him in the university,” Adigio said.

While thanking Tompolo for the good gesture, Adigio said that all the 13 academic programmes of the institution had been accredited.

He added that the pioneer graduates of the university were currently undergoing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The vice chancellor urged the cadets to take their studies seriously and be determined to overcome challenges that could arise in the course of their studies.

“You should be guided by the reality that the time spent in this first paramilitary University in the country is the springboard to greater life hereafter.

“On this note, let me congratulate our matriculating cadets. You are indeed our seed planted with the expectation to flourish.

“We have made great preparations to plant you. We have employed, as our teachers, very capable scholars most of whom made first class and second class upper division in their first degree courses.

“A number of them already have advanced degrees. This is something we owe you.

“The government that founded the University considers you very important and has granted you this privilege.

“We pledge before you and your parents that we will not fail to give you the best.

“Please do not fail to touch the sky and beyond. It is my earnest desire that you all keep the sail steadily going throughout the university waterways,” Adigio said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Oluwatope Lawanson/Florence Onuegbu

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged Nigerians not to only remember the nation’s fallen heroes, but also to give adequate support to the families they left behind.

Sanwo-Olu gave the advice during the Dedicated Jumaat, in commemoration of the Year 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, held at the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, said that supporting the families of the fallen heroes in whatever form was a way of appreciating and reciprocating the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes.

He implored everyone to make donations towards the welfare of the families of the fallen soldiers.

According to him, their families are going through a lot and the best Nigerians can do is to support them in whatever form they can.

Sanwo-Olu charged Nigerians to make sacrifices for the country, as done by the serving and dead security personnel.

He said that if everyone could do their best in their different corners, the country would be better.

Sanwo-Olu said that Nigerians must come together to build the nation, as the country must be great for the future of the coming generations in particular, and the sake of the black race in general.

The governor said that it was the people’s moral fiber that would determine the success of the nation.

He charged all Nigerians to ensure that they do the right things always, as Nigeria must succeed as a nation.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Nigerian Legion, Lagos State Council, Akeem Wolimoh, said that as the nation prayed for the fallen heroes, they should also remember their families.

”They have contributed their quota in order that souls might not be lost, but they exchanged their lives that peace might reign in the land.

”For those who they have left behind, we pray that God should enable the society to take care of them as if their deceased fathers and husbands are still alive. This is what I will implore every one of us here to always put in mind,” Wolimoh said.

In his vote of thanks, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said that the Dedicated Jumaat was one of the three events earmarked for the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Elegushi said that on its part, the government would continue to make life better for the families of the fallen heroes.

Earlier in his Sermon, Dr. Abdul-Mojeeb Isa, the Imam of the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque, said that it was very important to remember the dead, particularly the heroes, those that had strived and fought for a better Nigeria.

Isa urged the government not to forget the labour of the fallen heroes, as the price they had paid for the unity and peace of the country must not go in vain.

The Imam commended the officers and men of the security agencies for their efforts in battling insecurity in the country.

He urged the government to equip them with modern training and equipment, as well as ensure good welfare packages for the serving and families of the deceased officers.

Prayers were later offered for the state governor, the deputy governor, all arms of government, the families of the fallen heroes, as well as serving officers. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

By Ismail Abdulaziz

Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, Managing Director Nonicoms Telecommunications, has urged service providers to leverage on benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to grow the sector in the region.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, Abdullahi said that this would encourage economic and social policies of transactions within the region.

The AfCFTA is aimed at creating Africa’s continent-wide free trade area that could generate greater economic benefits than previously estimated and raise incomes by nine per cent by 2035 and lift 50 million people out of extreme poverty.

‘’Undoubtedly, communication is a basic requirement in the smooth flow of business, especially in Africa. The AfCFTA is a tool that can be leveraged on by service providers for the success of the programme.

‘’Telecom service providers can make a whole lot of impact on digital economy in Africa through promotion of the AfCFTA. We can make life easier for both business people and their wide customer base in Africa,’’ he said.

Abdullahi added that Nonicoms was out to increase result-driven technology in the industry as well as to develop advanced and innovative technologies for its customers.

‘’We will provide free voice service on our landlines and mobile apps, free IPTV/OTT and Excellent internet services with high Speed and low latency, affordability, and new innovations that will support the Internet of Things.

‘’We will  also provide a purposeful innovation through high speed broadband of more than 100mbps at an unbeatable price that addresses everyday communication challenges in homes and businesses,’’ he said.

The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) recognises that the agreement would allow access to extend communications services to 1.2 billion people across the African continent.

With a larger proportion of this population made up of young people, whose hunger for data and mobile services continues to grow, there is no limit of achievement for innovative operators and investors in terms of business opportunities.

There are many forms of trade in goods or services that can be fully or partly carried out through different ICT-based mechanisms, which previously were provided only through offline ways of trading.

Digitalisation also affects trade in many other ways. This is why the agenda of trade and digitalisation has gained attention in various trade policy forums, including the AfCFTA and WTO.

Abdullahi urged stakeholders in the communication subsector to provide support and encouragement for start-ups, ensure consistent government policies, as well as funds from the Nigerian Financial sector.

On how to overcome challenges in the sector, he said that ‘’they can conquered through determination, patience, consistency, and most importantly doing the right thing.

‘’The telecom industry can hardly be projected in a lighter mood. It will be more result-driven. It will develop advanced and innovative technologies to create an easy and safe solution for customers. It is the future and what the future holds economically and socially,’’he said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Joseph Edeh)

By Chimezie Anaso

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) will begin the 2023 mobile mapping process for mass metering in Anambra on Jan. 10.

This, it said, was to ensure that customers in Anambra were captured and provided with prepaid meters within 48 hours under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) project.

Mr Emeka Ezeh, Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC said this in a statement on Thursday.

Ezeh said the exercise would allow customers to pay, get metered, and get reimbursed with the value of the cost of the meter through energy supplied over a period of time.

He said the programme would take place in Ogidi District on Jan. 10 at St. Paul Anglican Church, Ogidi, Ochendo Hall, Ogidi and Afor Market Town Hall, Obosi and would run for three days.

He said the single-phase meter sold for N63,061.27 while the three -phase meter was N117,910.69 inclusive of VAT.

He said the mapping system was a conscious approach the company had adopted to close the existing metering gap in its network.

Ezeh said it was designed to be implemented according to Feeders, with three different locations selected within the areas covered by the Feeder where meters would be supplied simultaneously.

According to him, customers within these areas will be pre-notified of when the exercise will be carried out within their neighborhood.

“Customers residing in the listed locations are expected to visit the site along with a valid form of identification including Drivers License, Voters Card, NIN or International Passport and a copy of their bills.

“At the location, EEDC officials will assist customers with the MAP application process, and installation will be made once payment is confirmed,” he stated.

Ezeh urged customers to take advantage of the opportunity and get metered, reminding them that they would be reimbursed with the full value of the cost of the meter through energy supplied over a period.

He said MAP was a metering intervention designed and approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to close the existing metering gap in the sector.

“It will be recalled that in June 2022, EEDC launched the pilot of mobile MAP metering in Enugu and has executed the same in several locations within the metropolis.

“EEDC reaffirms that it is in its best interest to have all its customers metered, which informs its commitment towards ensuring that its customers are metered.

“The exercise was in conjunction with its MAP partners,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma