Energy Expert, Ademola Agoro Hosts Nigeria’s Minister Of Power In Ibadan Meter Manufacturing Factory(Photos)

Energy Expert, Ademola Agoro Hosts Nigeria’s Minister Of Power In Ibadan Meter Manufacturing Factory

One of the top meter manufacturers in Nigeria, Engineer Ademola Agoro, Chairman/MD of Protogy Global Services, today received the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu in his meter manufacturing factory in Ibadan.

Agoro, who took the Minister and his entourage on a tour of various sections of the factory disclosed that the company currently runs on about 1.2 million units of meter production capacity per year.

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Agoro, a Fellow of Nigeria Society of Engineer (FNSE), expressed confidence in the company’s capacity to double the current production capacity with the support of the federal government of Nigeria.

Addressing newsmen in his factory at his Alomaja industrial estate, Oluyole, shortly after meeting with the Minister of Power on Monday April 12, Agoro stated that the minister’s visit was timely and encouraging as it signals potential collaborations to enhance the company’s production capacity.

Agoro disclosed further that all meters including single, double, and 3 phased meters as well as Maximum Demand meters, Feeder meters and Distribution Transformer meters produced at Protogy Global Services are smart meters that can be controlled remotely by the consumers.

Agoro expressed delight at the Minister’s visit which he said was entirely on a fact finding mission adding that local meter manufacturers the country would be encouraged with deepened synergy and collaborations occasioned by such visit as he hopes his company gets patronage by the federal government of Nigeria.

“Today, the Honourable Minister came to our factory on a fact finding mission to see their for themselves and the capacity of the company in the area of meter manufacturing.

” My delight after the Minister’s visit is that he has been able to see things for himself and he has promised, not only us, but all local meter manufacturers will be patronized by the federal government, and he has also promised to use his office to make sure everything that is hindering effective local meter manufacturing in Nigeria is addressed.

“He has assured that the federal government is going to patronize us to be able to deliver good and quality meters to Nigerians.” Agoro said.

Speaking on ease of doing business in Nigeria and the challenges face by local meter manufacturers, Agoro highlighted two key challenges to include foreign exchange rate which is due to importation of electronic components of the meters and high cost of diesel to power the factory for production which adds up to production cost.

Asked if the company has the capacity to meet the demand and expectations of government if engaged to supply meters to Nigerians, Agoro said: “We have about five ejection machine that produce every plastic parts of the meter, we do both the single and 3 phase, and we produce both single and 3 phase meters and all our meters are smart meters.

Also addressing newsmen, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu said his visit to the factory was a working and inspection visit to one of the local meter manufacturers in Ibadan to assess their facilities and the process of assembling meters locally.

Adelabu, who thanked Engr. Agoro for hosting his team to a tour of the production factory, explained that the visit was part of the Ministry’s way of showing local meter manufacturers support and the needed encouragement, describing the manufacturers as the gateway to import substitution and export promotion stressing the need to patronize and consume what is produced locally.

The Minister, who expressed satisfaction at what he saw at the factory in terms of quality, standard, and sophistication said, patronizing local meter manufacturers in Nigeria would ease the pressure on local currency.

“I’m quite impressed with the standard of facilities, the sophistication they employ in the assembly process of the meters, and I’ve made it known to them that the government is ready to support local meter manufacturers.

“First of all, by providing conducive environment for their operations in order to be competitive with their foreign counterparts, secondly, by ensuring they have access to foreign exchange as much as possible to aid importation of CKD or the SKD they use in the meter assembly, and also to be able to buy spare parts and tools that are useful in the assembly plants.

“Government should also be able to provide low interest rates loans from banks to aid their production because this kind of manufacturing requires huge funds and a lot of them can provide equity capital for them to survive and they will need some debt capital so, there must be access to low interest rates loans.” Adelabu said.

While noting that the local manufacturers remain the key pillars and risk takers who have kept the power sector of the country running, Adelabu stressed that topmost of all the support is the patronage by the government to ensure that all their productions are not just sitting in their various warehouses as stocks. He maintained that their must be regular patronage by the government, the Distribution Companies (DISCOs), and the Transmission Companies adding that what he saw at the factory were not only distribution meters all kinds of meters.

Asked what the government support for the local meter manufacturers would translate to in terms of power distribution and consumption, the Minister said: “with the support that I’ve enumerated I’m terms of patronage, low interest loans, access to foreign exchange, it means that when we produce what we consume here in Nigeria, the cost is low because it requires minimal proportion of foreign exchange, it also means improved quality because these things are adapted to our local peculiarities, it means a lot for our people.”