President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that ongoing reforms in the electricity sector will deliver a more transparent, accountable, sustainable and responsive power industry capable of meeting the needs of citizens across the country.
The President, represented by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance on Thursday at the launch of the training of 5,000 young Nigerians in smart meter installation under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) in Abuja.
Tinubu said reforming the power sector requires consistency, strong partnerships, technical excellence and an unwavering commitment, stressing that the Presidential Metering Initiative extends beyond improving electricity supply by creating employment opportunities and equipping young Nigerians with future-ready technical skills.
“The transformation of Nigeria’s electricity sector will not occur overnight. It requires consistency, partnership, technical excellence and unwavering commitment to reform,” the President said.
He said the Federal Government, in collaboration with state governments and other stakeholders, would progressively expand the programme beyond the initial 5,000 participants, with the long-term goal of training up to 500,000 young Nigerians.
The President said the government was deliberately building the skilled workforce required to install smart meters efficiently, professionally and on a large scale through the Power Force programme.
He expressed confidence that the first cohort of 5,000 trainees would become the backbone of Nigeria’s smart metering programme, helping to ensure that millions of households and businesses receive professionally installed meters that meet the highest technical and safety standards.
Tinubu described smart metering as a critical component of electricity sector reform, saying it would replace estimated billing with accurate measurement while improving transparency and consumer confidence.
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The Executive Secretary of the Presidential Metering Initiative and Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, disclosed that the Federal Government plans to deploy more than seven million smart meters under what she described as the largest metering programme in Nigeria’s history.
“We’re deploying more than seven million meters under the largest metering programme in our nation’s history. But one truth became impossible to ignore: seven million meters require thousands of skilled Nigerians.
“Capital can be raised and equipment procured, but no nation develops without capable people. That is why we created Power Force to train 5,000 young Nigerians, not merely to install meters, but to build careers, build confidence, modernise the electricity sector and ultimately help build Nigeria,” she said.
Verheijen said the programme attracted nearly 220,000 applications for just 5,000 training places, demonstrating the enormous potential and enthusiasm of Nigeria’s youth.
She added that the programme, which begins in Abuja before expanding to all six geopolitical zones, is designed to ensure that no part of the country is left behind.
According to her, every Power Force graduate will receive professional training through NAPTIN, industry certification from the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), and a direct pathway to employment with electricity distribution companies and meter providers.
The Chairman of the Presidential Metering Initiative Board and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by Edmund Obiora Nnaji, said the establishment of PMI Smart Grid Development Limited as a special purpose vehicle had accelerated efforts to close Nigeria’s metering gap and build a more efficient and sustainable electricity sector.
He urged state governments to support the Power Force initiative by expanding opportunities beyond the initial 5,000 trainees, describing the programme as a platform for developing a highly skilled technical workforce.
The Director-General of NAPTIN said the training had been designed to equip participants with practical skills in electrical installation and smart metering, positioning them for employment, entrepreneurship and long-term careers in Nigeria’s expanding electricity industry.
Also speaking, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the Power Force programme complements the ministry’s One Youth, Two Skills initiative by equipping young Nigerians with practical skills that promote entrepreneurship, innovation and self-reliance.
