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The Association of Meter Manufacturers and Assemblers Nigeria, AMMON, has kicked against the plan of the Federal Government to use a World Bank loan of $155 million for importation of electrical energy meters into the nation.

AMMON’s Secretary, Engr Durosola Omogbenigun, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, noting that the federal government ought to urgently halt makes an attempt by the TCN to open tenders for the venture.

Media Talk Africa learnt that the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, had in a young publication unveiled necessities for bidders to apply for the World Banks’ $155 venture underneath the Nigeria distribution sector restoration program (DISREP).

The venture is geared toward closing the metering hole in Nigeria.

But, Omogbenigun, mentioned that the analysis standards are designed to eradicate Nigerian meter manufacturers.

Consequently, indigenous manufacturers have insisted that implementing the coverage would imply taking away Nigerian jobs and depriving the financial system of the advantages the loan was meant to carry.

Omogbenigun mentioned the fund ought to somewhat be made accessible to native meter manufacturers who’ve the capability to produce them.

He said that granting international firms the licence to herald absolutely constructed meters at a zero import obligation would cripple the sector.

“We found out that the evaluation criteria by way of turnover, cash flow, and experience for the bid seem to be designed to eliminate the local manufacturers”.

“Our interest today is to quickly state that this World Bank project is inimical to the growth of the manufacturing sector, the progress that has been made in the local content policy as stated in Executive Order 003 of 2017, and also negates the gains that have achieved in backward integration, technology transfer and employment within the industry,” he said.

On his half, Treasurer of the AMMON and the Chief Executive of Holley Metering Limited, Ifeanyi Okeke, careworn that native metre manufacturers have the capability to meet the 1.2 million metering targets of the World Bank loan.

Recall that in 2021, the World Bank authorised a $500 million loan for the vitalization of Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly the distribution worth chain.