News
New Hampshire Metering Services to Deploy over 400,000 Meters for DisCos
New Hampshire Metering Services Limited, a subsidiary of New Hampshire Capital Limited has announced immediate plan to roll-out over 404,000 smart prepaid meters for Ikeja and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Companies under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
Mr. Isaac Omoyeni, general manager, Operations of New Hampshire, disclosed this recently in a chat with some Journalists in Lagos.
Mr. Omoyeni stated that the company is providing metering services in Ikorodu and Epe in Lagos State under the Ikeja DisCo franchise area, while it is providing metering services in Ilorin, Oyo and Ogbomosho under the Ibadan DisCo franchise area.
He stated that the company entered into long term metering services contracts with both DisCos to finance, procure, install and manage prepaid meter assets and also ensure the provision of prompt metering services to electricity customers in both Discos.
He added that the deployment and installation of the meters are currently ongoing in all of these locations.
Mr. Omoyeni further stated that the meter roll-out program by the company which began in 2019, would soon enter its second phase, which is the mass metering of electricity customers within its coverage areas under a monthly payment amortization plan.
To ensure the company has adequate stock of meter inventory for its mass metering program, New Hampshire has partnered with several international meter manufacturing companies to produce high quality smart prepaid meters.
New Hampshire has also entered into meter purchase agreements with several local meter assemblers to purchase their assembled meters in line with the local content requirement of the MAP regulations.
In addition, Mr, Omoyeni stated that New Hampshire has developed proprietary technology systems and meter installation apps to manage the installation and commissioning of prepaid meters.
He said that “Our Meter Ordering Services (MOS)system is our technology platform which was specifically designed to ensure seamless end-to-end provision of metering services to electricity customers, from procurement to the installation and commissioning of the meters at the customer’s premises”.
Mr. Omoyeni informed journalists that the company has developed significant resources in terms of meter installers, appropriate meter installation equipment and operational vehicles to ensure efficient meter roll-out operations.
He said that the company’s MAP operations currently provide direct employment for over 400 meter installers and field engineers who handle meter maintenance and repairs.
According to Mr. Omoyeni, “we would engage more than 1,000 trained meter installers when we fully commence our mass metering roll-out”.
“The company has been able to build capacity using local workforce and youths within our areas of operation and enjoy significant support from our host communities who are major beneficiaries of our local labor recruitment” he said.
Mr. Omoyeni stated that while the MAP scheme has recorded significant success so far, there are several challenges facing the implementation of the scheme. One of such challenges is the inability of MAPs to secure foreign exchange to import sufficient quantities of prepaid meters, as well as the 35% import levy charged on prepaid meters.
He lamented that the inability of local meter manufacturers and meter assemblers to meet the 30% local content supply requirement as stipulated by the MAP Regulations has further constrained the company’s determination to accelerate the meter roll out program.
He thanked the Federal Government for granting a one-year waiver on the 35% import levy to allow MAPs carry out bulk procurement and importation of prepaid meters to meet the demand of electricity customers. However, he called for the immediate implementation of the Presidential waiver, as well as a clear framework which MAPs can access the presidential waiver.
Asked if the waiver of the 35% import levy would negatively affect local production of prepaid meters, Mr. Omoyeni stated that the existing in-country capacity for local meter manufacturing and assembly of meter components is not sufficient to meet the huge demand for prepaid meters by electricity customers.
To buttress his point, he stated that local meter manufacturers who are also MAPs, have not been able to meet their meter roll-out commitments under the MAP scheme. He contended that to meet the huge demand for prepaid meters, it would require a combination of importation of FBU prepaid meters to bridge the current deficit in local meter assembly capacity and massive investments in local meter assembly lines.
He lauded the CBN for the new meter financing framework but however, asked that the CBN framework be aligned with the existing MAP regulations so as to achieve the objectives and goals of the MAP regulations and finally close the metering gap in the power sector.
He opined that the CBN’s plan to provide long term financing to local meter manufacturers would help local meter manufacturers expand their present manufacturing capacity, and in addition, encourage more investment in new meter manufacturing lines.
However, he advised that the objective of the CBN should be to promote true local meter manufacturing and not just the mere assembly of meter components imported from China.
He stated that “it will interest the public to note that the importation of FBU prepaid meters is more beneficial to Nigeria in terms of revenue generation to government, than the importation of SKD meter components.
Nigeria also does not benefit from any foreign exchange savings by importing meter components as there is no significant price difference between importing FBU prepaid meters and SKD meter components”.
Furthermore, he said, Nigeria loses revenues on the lower import duty payments for SKD meter components, in addition to other fiscal incentives like tax waivers and other incentives provided to the local meter assemblers.
Mr. Omoyeni stated that the medium term plan for New Hampshire is to develop its own indigenous smart meter technology, which would be manufactured in Nigeria for the Nigerian and African markets. He stated that the company’s transition from a MAP to a true meter manufacturer is one of the benefits to the Nigerian economy from the MAP Regulations.
Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd, in a strategic move to modernise its operations and foster a results-oriented workforce, has officially adopted the Federal Government’s Performance Management System (PMS).
The initiative, aimed at driving efficiency and institutionalising accountability, was marked by an intensive staff training program designed to align the agency’s operations with national performance goals and the Presidency’s vision for a digital-first public sector.
According to a statement from Stephen Kwande, the Agency’s acting head of Corporate Affairs, “the transition to PMS is a departure from historical evaluation methods. The new system is designed to provide real-time performance tracking and instill a stronger work ethic across all directorates”.
Welcoming participants, Mrs. Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, managing director/CEO of NIGCOMSAT, represented by Abiodun Attah, executive diirector, Technical Services, described the adoption as “long overdue.”
She emphasised that the system is critical for ensuring that NIGCOMSAT contributes effectively to Nigeria’s broader digital economy targets.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Chinwe Udogu, general manager, Human Resources Management, expressed NIGCOMSAT’s enthusiasm for the program, urging staff to dedicate themselves fully to the three-day training.
She noted that the exercise was pivotal in repositioning the company to achieve its highest aspirations.
The training consultant, Mrs. Njoku Chioma, said the program is expected to drive culture change, automate work processes, and strengthen institutional performance.
The three-day training, jointly organised by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and NIGCOMSAT Management, covers key themes including:
• Overview of the FCSSI25 as an institutional performance-driven Federal Civil/Public Service
• Service culture and workplace attitude in the Nigerian public sector
• Implementation of the Performance Management System in NIGCOMSAT
• Application of Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance performance in the Nigerian public sector
The move comes at a time when NIGCOMSAT is expanding its footprint, with recent initiatives like the 2026 SpaceTech Accelerator Programme and partnerships for grassroots digital skills training.
By strengthening its internal management framework, the agency aims to ensure that its technical advancements in satellite technology are matched by an equally efficient administrative engine.
Most companies choose to outsource at least part of their Security Operations Center (SOC), with a significant number adopting SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS), according to global research by Kaspersky.
This strategic move enables organisations to benefit from round-the-clock protection, ensure compliance with regulatory standards and leverage advanced cybersecurity solutions and qualified expertise that are often beyond their internal capabilities.
As cyberthreats become increasingly sophisticated, organisations are rethinking how they build and operate their Security Operations Centers. With this in mind, Kaspersky carried out a comprehensive global survey to identify the main motivations, strategic goals, and potential challenges associated with its planning and implementation¹.
The findings of this research revealed that 64% of companies plan to outsource part of their SOC, combining internal capabilities with external expertise.
Meanwhile, over a quarter of respondents (26%) are ready to fully implement an SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) model. By contrast, only 9% plan to build their SOC entirely in-house, highlighting the growing challenges of maintaining round-the-clock monitoring and attracting qualified specialists.
SOC outsourcing enables organisations to delegate selected SOC functions or even the entire operational cycle to a trusted external provider. This approach can include a variety of services:
Design and architecture of the SOC.
Deployment and maintenance of SOC technologies.
Monitoring and analysis by external security analysts.
Consulting and training services.
Full SOCaaS delivery, where the provider handles detection, investigation and response around the clock.
Most companies prefer maintaining strategic tasks internally, whilst leveraging external teams and advanced technologies for operational and highly technical workloads. Among organisations planning to outsource SOC functions, the most commonly delegated tasks to third-party providers included solution installation and deployment (55%), solution development and provisioning (53%), and SOC design (47%).
When engaging external SOC specialists, companies also showed a clear preference for augmenting specific roles, with first-line analysts (61%) and second-line analysts (52%) being the most in-demand among external specialists. These figures illustrate that companies focus more on frontline and intermediate security tasks, such as monitoring and responding to threats.
Why do organisations choose SOC outsourcing?
The leading motivator for SOC outsourcing is the need for 24/7 protection (55%) – an operational requirement many internal teams cannot sustain alone. Another highly cited benefit is reducing workload on internal IT security specialists (47%), enabling teams to focus on strategic tasks.
Additionally, access to advanced solutions and technologies (42%) and external support to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and standards (41%) further drive the decision to outsource, highlighting the value of specialised expertise and cutting-edge tools such as XDR, MDR, MXDR and others.
Budget optimisation is important for only 37% of companies – indicating that the primary value of outsourcing lies in improved protection, not just cost savings.
“The trend towards outsourcing SOC functions, whether fully or partially, is primarily driven by the necessity for enhanced operational focus and strategic agility. By shifting routine and technical tasks externally, organisations are able to concentrate on high-value activities such as strategic decision-making and orchestrating responses to sophisticated threats.
“Moreover, this approach often results in considerable cost efficiencies, allowing for optimised resource allocation. Ultimately, this model transforms the SOC into a critical strategic capability, directly contributing to business continuity,” comments Sergey Soldatov, Head of Security Operations Center at Kaspersky.
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full names of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over alleged serious misconduct, including an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
The officers suspected to be involved in the coup plot include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, a lieutenant, a lieutenant commander and a Squandron Leader.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of Defence Information, disclosed this on Monday, stating that the panel had concluded its investigation and established that the affected officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the indicted officers will face a military Court Martial in line with established procedures and existing regulations.
Major Gen. Uba said the probe examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the officers and identified actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He stressed that the exercise was purely disciplinary and aimed at preserving internal discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness, adding that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and Nigeria’s democratic order.
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
- Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
- Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
- Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
- Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
- Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
- Captain A. A. Yusuf
- Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
- Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
- Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
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