NEMSA Directs Consumers to Reject Meters Without NEMSA Seal

The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has directed electricity consumers to reject any meter supplied by distribution companies without NEMSA seal and labels.

The NEMSA Managing Director, Aliyu Tukur Tahir, who gave the directive at a news conference in Abuja, said identifying the NEMSA seal and label was a step to ensuring the meters being installed were genuine and certified.

Mr Tahir said more testing centres had been established for certification and standardization of meters for home and industrial purposes.

“So many things can cause your meter to read faster,” Mr Tahir stated.

“First, is the installation of such a meter. It is important that only a NEMSA certified meter installer is allowed to install your meter and you can verify this by asking for their certificate,” he advised.

“Another thing is the electrical installations in your premises around your meter. If there is linkage between your meter and the installation, the meter will see it as a continuous load and it will be reading. And most of these installations do not have effective earthing. It is only when earthing is done properly that you can have leakages detected and isolated using the circuit-breaker.

“Improper installation of change-over between generators and power supply can also lead to this. Some of us build our own generators in line with our meters. If you install the generator along the load line, your meter will continue to pick it up when you are running your generator. You must have a separate line for your generator; if not, you will pay the utility for using your own generator.”

The NEMSA MD also disclosed that the Agency had introduced new strategies to ensure safety of the power facilities across the country.

The strategies would according to him, remove all substandard power equipment. He assured the public that a task force to implement the new program had been constituted.

On the encroachment along the power-line, Mr Tahir said the Agency was in consultation with all stakeholders to remove any structure built under high tension cables.

NEMSA investigated 38 incidences across the Federation last year, with more than 10,000 new electrical projects inspected for safety and standardization.

April 27, 2023