Chantelle Abdul: Our Goal is to Ensure 95% of Nigerians Have Access to Meters

Chantelle Abdul is the Group Managing Director of Mojec holdings. She is an international business executive, a serial entrepreneur and a consummate businesswoman, with over 15 years’ experience in originating, founding and operating hyper growth startups and budding companies across Africa, Asia, Europe & America- traversing a plethora of sectors, from Power & Energy to Agriculture, Mining, Real Estate and Hospitality. Under her leadership, Mojec International has grown from a small family owned business into a metering empire; evolving into a conglomerate and an undisputed market leader in the industry, with diversified interests in the power value chain, spanning across power generation to distribution, manufacturing, supply, financing & meter installation. Mojec International is also the largest manufacturer of electricity meters in sub-Saharan Africa, with an installation capacity of up to four million meters annually and a nationwide footprint of 80 per cent working with 11 out of the 12 Distribution companies in Nigeria and West Africa. In this interview, she speaks about issues around efforts to take more meters to the homes of Nigerians. Peter Uzoho brings the excerpts:

Mojec has been at the forefront of promoting smart metering solutions. Can you provide insights into how these solutions are benefiting consumers, utilities, and the Nigerian energy landscape as a whole?

The metering of customers across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), championed by Mojec, plays a pivotal role in the government’s objective of closing the metering gap. Mojec has achieved this by establishing a purpose-built manufacturing and assembling facility, ensuring that meters are readily available to end customers. Fundamentally, a smart meter’s core function is to enable seamless communication between Discos and customers. This empowers Discos to monitor meter activities, while customers can easily purchase energy tokens from the comfort of their homes, establishing a two-way communication channel. So, for consumers, smart metering eliminates estimated billing, ensuring that they only pay for the energy consumed, thereby promoting transparency and cost savings. Utilities benefit by efficiently generating revenue, reducing energy theft, and mitigating the need for physical confrontations with consumers

Amidst the recent discussions regarding the World Bank-funded National Mass Metering Programme and allegations against Meter Asset Providers for fund diversion, where does Mojec stand on this issue?

 Mojec has consistently upheld a commitment to integrity and exceptional service. When the allegations arose, Mojec willingly cooperated with the investigating parties, providing evidence of meter supply and installation completion through certificates issued by the various Discos we served during the program in question. Furthermore, Mojec demonstrated that these meters were integrated into our advanced metering infrastructure. It’s essential to emphasise that following the investigation, no additional grounds existed for categorising Mojec as a wrongdoer. We would like to clarify to the general public that Mojec International has fully cooperated with the regulatory and all law enforcement agencies and has maintained innocence with respect to all allegations. Our obligation remains to manufacture, supply, and install meters for all eleven DisCos, underpinning the success of the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP) nationwide.

 Does Mojec intend to take part in the ongoing bidding regardless?

Failing to involve companies like Mojec in these bids and, ideally, granting them successful bids, would be an injustice to the Nigerian public. The substantial investments in the metering sector and the potential for job creation among Nigerian youth could be severely impeded if local meter manufacturers are deprived of such opportunities. Ever since the PHCN unbundling, Mojec has played a pivotal role as a strategic partner to both the Discos and the regulatory bodies. A compelling argument stands in favour of Mojec and other indigenous manufacturers. If local manufacturers aren’t actively encouraged to participate, what becomes of the significant investments that have been made?

Can you highlight specific initiatives or partnerships that demonstrate Mojec’s dedication to maintaining financial integrity and ethical business practices?

To address the metering gap and promote customer metering, we have implemented several initiatives. These include vendor financing, enabling Discos to pay for meters in instalments after installation. We have also introduced Mobile MAP initiatives to streamline meters’ acquisition and installation, collaborating closely with the Discos to expedite the process, typically completing it within 24 to 48 hours, as opposed to the MAP regulation’s 10 working days’ installation window after payment. Furthermore, we undergo an annual third-party audit to ensure transparency and accountability.

With regard to the high price of meters and the persistent metering problems in the nation’s power sector since privatisation, what are the measures Mojec has put in place to solve these problems?

Prior to the National Mass Metering Programme, a government-owned initiative aimed at accelerating the rate of metering in the country and eliminating estimated billing, Mojec pioneered Meter Service Charge (MSC) Schemes which allows customers to pay for their meters installmentally after installation.

According to data from a June 2023 NOI Polls, 43 per cent of adults do not have an electricity meter. How is MOJEC engaging with local communities and stakeholders to promote awareness and understanding of the importance of metering?

We continuously engage with customers through collaborative efforts with the Discos and other publicity efforts. Additionally, Mojec introduced the Mobile Meter Assets Provider initiative, streamlining and expediting the meter acquisition process, making it more accessible to the public.

What are MOJEC’s plans and strategies for supporting the growth of the metering industry in Nigeria?

Over time, we have executed campaigns in collaboration with the Discos to create awareness of the need for smart metering. Also, from time to time, we organise proprietary events/activities such as the upcoming National Innovation Challenge focused on the electricity sector to commemorate a decade since the privatization of the sector in the forthcoming Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Market Participants and Stakeholders Roundtable (NMPSR) 2023. Additionally, as a demonstration of our commitment to being a good corporate citizen and supporting Nigeria’s local content policy, as well as aligning with the Lagos State Government’s plan to improve access to electricity in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 (which aims to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030), we partnered with the State Government three years ago for The Lagos Smart Meter Hackathon. This initiative, organised by the State’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in collaboration with the Eko Innovation Centre, aimed to engage local technological talents in designing and producing smart and affordable meters to bridge the metering gap in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.

Could you provide more details about the subsidiaries under the Mojec Power Group and highlight their contributions to the metering sector?

Mojec Power Group takes pride in its diverse portfolio of subsidiary companies, each with a distinct focus and a vital role to play in advancing the energy and metering landscape. Among them, Virtutis Solaris (VS) stands as a beacon of renewable energy, dedicated to reducing energy poverty and expanding access to sustainable power solutions across Nigeria. Mojec Plastics, another integral division, specialises in the manufacturing of meter boxes and accessories, boasting a remarkable daily production capacity of 200,000 units that serve not only the local market but extend to customers across the African continent. Then there’s Meter Service Hub (MSH), established to tackle the technical challenges within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, which plays a pivotal role in marketing, sales, and establishing partnerships with stakeholders closely tied to Distribution Companies (Discos), estates, and other consumers. It also carries out pre and post installation services as well as the meter installation itself. MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC) takes the lead in marketing, sales, and partnerships, managing the supply, installation, and commissioning of meters. Lastly, Powergenie caters to smaller communities, such as private estates and barracks, and introduces innovative vending systems that empower customers to efficiently manage their energy requirements. Together, these subsidiaries reinforce Mojec Power Group’s prominent position in the metering and energy sectors, playing pivotal roles in advancing and enhancing Nigeria’s energy landscape.

What do you foresee as the future of smart metering in Nigeria?

In the coming years, our goal is to ensure that between 80 to 95 per cent of Nigerians have access to meters. This will usher in an era of extensive data usage, allowing us to create detailed customer profiles and deliver tailored, value-added services to meet individual needs. Our vision is to make meters as interactive as modern smart devices, enhancing the customer experience.

What distinguishes Mojec from other metering companies?

 We wholeheartedly believe in the Nigerian dream. We’ve made significant investments in research and development as well as our people. Collaborative programs have been executed with Nigerian engineers and our foreign partners. These initiatives aim to diminish our dependence on foreign partners and, at the same time, facilitate the transfer of knowledge and expertise.