Nigeria has taken a major step toward closing its electricity metering gap with the launch of Power Force, a nationwide training programme aimed at producing 5,000 certified smart meter installers to support the deployment of seven million smart electricity meters across the country.
The initiative, unveiled on Thursday in Abuja, is being implemented under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI)introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. The launch, held at the headquarters of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), also marked the commencement of training for the first batch of successful applicants, who will undergo a three-week intensive programme combining practical and classroom sessions.
The programme attracted significant interest, with nearly 220,000 applications submitted by young Nigerians nationwide.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said the initiative would strengthen Nigeria’s smart metering workforce, while Youth Development Minister Ayo Olawande described it as a job creation and skills development programme aligned with the One Youth, Two Skills initiative. Upon completion, participants will be certified by NEMSA and deployed across the country to support the accelerated rollout of smart meters.
