Power Sector Reform: Nigeria Unveils Power Force Programme to Bridge Metering Gap, Empower Youth
By Core Reporters
Abuja (Core Reporters) The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the Power Force Programme under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), a landmark effort aimed at closing Nigeria’s electricity metering gap while creating jobs for thousands of young Nigerians.
The programme was officially flagged off on Thursday, July 23, 2026 by the Honourable Minister of Power, Hon. Joseph O. Tegbe, at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) premises in Idu, Abuja. The event brought together key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, NAPTIN, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Distribution Companies, development partners, and representatives of the Presidential Metering Initiative.
Approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November 2023, the Presidential Metering Initiative targets the deployment of five million smart meters by 2027. The initiative is expected to reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses from 40 percent to the global benchmark of 20 percent, improve revenue collection, enhance energy accountability, and support a smarter electricity grid.
A key component of the initiative is the Power Force Programme, which will train 5,000 young Nigerians as certified metering technicians to support nationwide smart meter installation. The broader initiative is also projected to create over 20,000 jobs for local assemblers and installers while increasing Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) revenue to ₦3 trillion within three years.
Speaking at the launch, Hon. Joseph Tegbe described smart metering as central to the administration’s power sector reforms, emphasizing that it promotes fairness, transparency, and accountability. He urged participants to embrace the opportunity with professionalism, noting that their contributions would help transform Nigeria’s electricity sector and strengthen the nation’s economy.
“Every Nigerian deserves to pay only for the electricity they consume, and every service provider deserves to be compensated for the electricity genuinely supplied—that is the fairness smart metering guarantees,” the Minister said.
