A fierce battle is unfolding in Nigeria’s power sector, pitting indigenous meter manufacturers against a World Bank-backed procurement framework that they say risks sidelining local industry.
At the centre of the dispute is the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) ICB 2, a major metering intervention designed to close Nigeria’s massive metering gap.
The Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria (AMMON) has refused to withdraw its court injunction against the programme unless the federal government provides concrete, legally binding guarantees for local participation.
In a strongly worded communication to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), AMMON demanded at least 50 per cent of DISREP meter volumes be allocated to qualified Nigerian manufacturers, or alternatively mandatory CKD/SKD arrangements requiring foreign suppliers to partner with local assemblers.
“We have invested billions of naira in factories, machinery, and technology transfer. We are ready,” said AMMON President, Ahmed. “The question is whether the government is ready to back its words with action.”
