Several professionals and industry stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to import 75,000 electricity meters under the International Competitive Bid 1, urging support for local manufacturers to stimulate industrial growth and job creation.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, had announced on April 6 that the government would begin delivery of over 3.2 million meters to address the national metering deficit, currently estimated at over 7 million units.
According to him, 75,000 meters are expected under the first phase of the International Competitive Bid by April 2025, followed by another batch of 200,000 meters in May.
Reacting to the plan, Mrs Atinuke Owolabi, President of the APC Professional Women Network and Chairperson of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (Lagos Chapter), urged the government to reverse its decision and prioritise local manufacturers.
In a statement issued on Monday, Owolabi, who is also the Managing Director and CEO of Wurvicat International Ltd., argued that the proposed importation undermines backward integration and poses a threat to the nation’s industrialisation efforts.
She suggested that the procurement exercise begin with national competitive bidding, which would allow local manufacturers to compete on a level playing field, thus preserving jobs and stimulating domestic production.
Citing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies, Owolabi said Nigeria must learn to protect its domestic industries by curbing excessive reliance on imports.
“Nigeria cannot sustain an economy that is 95 per cent import-dependent, with a service-based structure and weak manufacturing sector,” she said.
“We must focus on re-industrialisation, backward integration, wealth creation, and sustainable economic development.”
She questioned how many of the proposed meters were being sourced locally and warned against deliberately sidelining Nigerian manufacturers for what she termed “selfish or ulterior motives.”
“If the Minister of Power is intentionally overlooking local producers, I will personally write to President Bola Tinubu and notify youth organisations and other critical stakeholders,” she stated.
Owolabi further challenged the rationale behind sourcing meters from abroad when thousands of Nigerian youths remain unemployed. She argued that the same funds earmarked for foreign procurement could be invested to build capacity within the local metering industry.
“What truly matters is structuring the tender process to meet global standards while safeguarding national interests,” she added.
In a similar vein, the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network also urged the government to reconsider the international bidding process.
Its President, Mr Kunle Olubiyo, commended the Minister of Power’s commitment to addressing the metering shortfall but cautioned that the approach must support indigenous capacity.
Olubiyo maintained that empowering local meter manufacturers would facilitate job creation, enhance technology transfer, and bridge skills gaps within the metering value chain.
He stressed the need for a balanced approach to avoid outsourcing opportunities meant for Nigerian youths to countries like China and other Asian economies.
“The government must ensure we do not end up exporting employment while importing poverty and deepening unemployment,” he said. “There is a need to reflect on these objectives and commit to a fair and inclusive procurement process that supports Nigerian industry.”