By Our Reporter
ABA (CONVERSEER) – The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Geometric Power Group, Professor Bart Nnaji, has disclosed that Aba Power installed more than 100,000 prepaid metres in 2025, with over N35bn committed to its ongoing smart metre rollout programme.
Nnaji made this known while delivering a paper titled “An Investor’s Perspective of the Investment Opportunities and Challenges in the Nigerian Power Sector” at the 2026 Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Seminar for Judges on the Electricity Sector in Nigeria.
The seminar was at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
Nnaji, who is also the former Minister of Power, declared that Aba Power remains Nigeria’s only truly creditworthy electricity distribution company, despite not receiving subsidies or direct financial assistance from the Federal Government, unlike other Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country.
According to him, Aba Power’s aggressive metering drive reflects strong investor confidence in the company’s operations, stressing that the utility works with partners who trust its business model and are assured of recovering their investments.
Nnaji explained that Aba Power deliberately integrated local content into its metering programme, insisting that the company would not rely entirely on imported metres.
As part of this strategy, he said his firm encouraged its partners to assemble smart metres locally and commenced the construction of an on-site metering assembly facility in Aba.
According to him, the facility, which is nearing completion, is expected to generate about 35,000 direct and indirect jobs, further boosting the local economy.
He revealed that out of seven leading metre vendors operating in Aba, five are Nigerian-led, including one based in China but managed by a Nigerian.
Nnaji said Aba Power and its partners have invested billions of naira in network expansion, including the completion of a new 41-kilometre power line to serve an industrial cluster in Ukwa area of Abia State.
Nnaji lamented the broader uncertainty in Nigeria’s power sector, which he described as discouraging to investors.
He said, “The Federal Government owes the electricity generation companies (GenCos) over N6tn in subsidies and other interventions. It is owing to the DisCos over N200bn.
“These are mostly legacy debts, that is, not necessarily incurred by the present administration.
“Eight of the 10 legacy DisCos privatised in 2013 have been taken over by their lenders. This is not a good record. Nor is it encouraging that Aba Power is probably the only creditworthy Disco in the country, even though it has never received subsidies or any kind of direct financial assistance from the Federal Government.
“Because we are creditworthy, we have been able to launch a very aggressive smart metre rollout. We felt that it was not right for our Disco, Aba Power, to import all its metres without local content.
“So, we asked our partners to start assembling the metres in the country. To show we meant business, we quickly started to construct a building for the vendors to assemble their smart metres on site.
“The metering facility is about to be completed, and we believe it can lead to 35,000 direct and indirect jobs for our people. Out of the seven leading metre vendors in Aba, five are led by Nigerians, including one based in China and managed by a Nigerian. You can’t beat our people!
“In 2025 alone, we installed more than 100,000 prepaid metres. Our budget for the smart metre rollout is in excess of N35bn. We work with partners who trust us; they know they can always recoup their investments.
“Together with our partners, we completed a new 41 km line worth billions of naira to an industrial cluster located in the Ukwa area of the state”.
Source: The Whistler
