Ikeja Electric Strengthens Capacity of Meter Installers

Peter Uzoho

In preparation to receive and begin the roll out of its allocation from the awaiting four million prepaid meters under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) has trained 140 employees with Cutting-edge skills to boost metering density and meter management across its network.

The staff were trained under the Ikeja Electric Metering Academy, which was launched in 2020 as a result of the identified shortage in human capacity in the installation of meters, resulting in slow pace of metering across its network. 

According to the power distribution firm, the training was carried out in partnership with the Energy Training Centre (ETC) and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), which certified the trained staff.

Speaking during the presentation of certificates to the graduands in Lagos, recently, the Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan, said the essence of the training was to bridge the metering gap in the industry which aligns with the vision of the company and the NMMP.

Soetan, who was represented at the event by the Chief Financial Officer, Ikeja Electric, Mrs. Sequinat Akinwunmi, said the young graduands were selected across Ikeja Electric’s six Business Units namely, Akowonjo, Shomolu, Abule-Egba, Ikeja, Oshodi and Ikorodu. 

“The programme will also equip staff to carry out the functions including meter installation, identifying faults and also rectifying the faults. This will in turn improve service delivery, ensure customer satisfaction, and also grow revenue.

“This programme is very important to us. That is why we have put in a lot of resources and time, and also partnered with NAPTIN and ETC to close up this skill gap in the industry,” she said.

While congratulating the graduating students, she tasked them to be worthy ambassadors of Ikeja Electric and adhere to safety standards which is one of the Disco’s core values.

The Managing Director, Energy Training Centre, Mrs. Ibiene Okeleke, said: “Ikeja Electric had invested heavily in the Metering Academy. They partnered with Energy Training Centre (ETC) to ensure the 140 candidates were trained by the Metering Academy, across three batches.

According to her, “The Energy Training Centre had signed a partnership with NAPTIN, which is the sector’s regulated training centre that works with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)”.

The Director-General, NAPTIN, Mr. Ahmed Nagode, said the training would also help to shore up the Disco’s revenue collection and improve customer satisfaction, apart from increasing the level of efficiency of the graduands.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating students, Mr. Akingbade Adeniyi, Mr Tomilayo Oluborode and Ms. Gloria Gomina, thanked Ikeja Electric for facilitating the training. 

According to them, they have been equipped on how to install meters, identify meter bypass and meter management among other things which would improve their job performances going forward.