By KUNLE KALEJAYE
From April 25 electricity consumers may pay between N25,000 and N50,000 for pre-paid metres for the single phase and three phase models, respectively, under the new Credited Advance Pay for Metering Implementation, CAPMI, scheme.
The price tag is aimed at fast tracking the deployment of pre-paid metres to customersacross the country sequel to the failed free metre scheme initially proposed by the Federal Government.
CAPMI became necessary following complaints by consumers about poor electricity service delivery in the face of continued estimated billing by Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.
Under the new CAPMI arrangement, metres are still regarded as free, but are facilitated through advance payments, which are expected to be refunded through a rebate on a fixed charge element from customers’ bills.
Confirming the development, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, in a telephone chat saidthe single phase pre-paid metres would be sold for N25,000, while three phase metres would go for N50,000, adding that final arrangement and announcement will be made on April 25, when CAPMI would be rolled out fully.
However, it appears that nothing really has changed as the new prices for the pre-paid metres are similar to what electricity consumers paid prior to June 1, 2012, when government declared the metres free.
Under CAPMI, the Commission also disclosed that five Distribution Companies, DISCOs, would be used for the pilot scheme. They include Eko, Ibadan, Benin, Kano and Abuja DISCOs.
Amadi explained that the Commission was currently evaluating tenders submitted by bidders, adding that the call for tenders had closed, while details of shortlisted vendors had been sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, for ratification and eventual approval.
He said: “We are currently evaluating the bids submitted by various vendors. We don’t have a specific number of vendors to use but the preferred bidders will be announced.
“Nigerians should be patient with us as we are working hard to come out with a hitch-free programme. The payment process is also being looked into to ensure that things are transparent.”
Apapa Business Unit of PHCN, has appealed to customers in its network to pay up their debts which had risen to N2 billion.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/electricity-consumers-to-pay-n50000-for-pre-paid-metres-2/

so much for meters? then the definition of exploitation. If the current dispensation is anything to go by, then its like buying an expensive tank (water) for rainfall in the desert. Add a few extra cash and you should be able to get a good inverter+solar panel.
Why not go to China and buy them for 10k-15k, that's if that's not what they are trying to pass on to us.

#50,000 for prepaid meter + the old meter. Because the can't give one the prepaid meter without carrying the former one used.
Kilode?

How much are they buying all these prepaid meters from the manufacturers?

After buying these meters with high amount of money and taking away the old meters with them, the power authority will still come to claim it to be their own property!

Where we are going with electric power, the cost of running a generator will be more judicious than this PHCN light.

This is outirght exploitation, the previous hike for the prepaid meters didn't change our erratic power supply. This isn't the right step, fix our electricity supply & every other thing comes next.

If the official price from PHCN is #25,000 / #50,000, the minimum any Nigerian will get the meter is #50,000/#100,000. When they meter was announced to be free, people paid as much as #25,000 to get it, now that it has a price tag, i pity Nigerians.

Story, Story.