Nigerians will face increased costs when obtaining electricity meters, as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced the deregulation of meters provided to electricity consumers under the Meter Asset Providers (MAP) scheme. This decision was disclosed on Monday through an order signed by the Chairman, Sanusi Garba, and the Commissioner of Legal, Licensing, and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye.

According to the Commission, this move is aimed at allowing end-use electricity customers to procure meters from MAPs of their choice, based on competitive open market prices. This means that customers who were previously paying fixed prices, such as N81,975.16 for single-phase meters and N143,836.16 for three-phase meters, will now need to pay prices determined by the meter providers.

The Commission stated, “The cost of meters deployed under the MAP scheme is hereby deregulated to enable end-use customers to acquire meters from MAPs of their choice based on competitive open market prices determined from transparent bidding frameworks.” It also noted that all MAP permit holders are now eligible to provide services and transact with any Distribution Company (Disco) in Nigeria, subject to compliance with Disco-specific requirements.

Furthermore, all Discos are required to ensure the seamless integration of smart meters deployed by MAPs with their head-end systems and meter data management systems. This development follows NERC’s approval of a tariff increase of over 200% for customers receiving 20 hours of power supply, which occurred several weeks ago.

King Charles III is set to resume his public responsibilities following the positive outcome of his cancer treatment. The monarch has been undergoing treatment since being diagnosed with cancer in early February this year. Despite the encouraging news of his response to treatment, King Charles remains affected by cancer, the specific type of which has not been disclosed. He will receive ongoing treatment for his condition while carrying out his public duties.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla are scheduled to visit a cancer treatment center on Tuesday to meet with medical specialists and patients. This event aims to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and highlight innovative research supported by Cancer Research UK at the hospital.

In January, King Charles underwent a three-night hospital stay for a procedure on an enlarged prostate, during which the cancer was detected. Following the announcement of his diagnosis on February 6, he temporarily suspended all public engagements but continued fulfilling his duties as head of state within the palace, conducting audiences and Privy Council meetings.

John Ayoh, a former Director of Information Technology at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has detailed how he allegedly received $600,000 as contract gratification for the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele. Ayoh, testifying in court under the guidance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), stated that he served eight years at the apex bank.

Ayoh recounted that he was contacted by the agency regarding two transactions he facilitated on behalf of Emefiele. He mentioned receiving $400,000 in the first instance at his residence in Lekki, and $200,000 in the second instance at the Tinubu Head Office of the CBN. He claimed to have been authorized to handle contract applications and to deliver successful bids.

Regarding the second transaction, Ayoh said Emefiele requested him to personally deliver the envelope containing the money to his office, rejecting involvement of a third party. Ayoh asserted that he followed these instructions, delivering the money himself.

He stated that the funds were allegedly provided by vendors responsible for implementing Netapp Storage Architectural and Infrastructural Services. Under cross-examination, Ayoh clarified that although he didn’t have duties involving running errands for Emefiele, he worked directly under him. He affirmed that Emefiele wasn’t part of the PSS but was involved in the Major Contract Tender Committee (MCTC).

Ayoh denied participating in any criminal activity and claimed he operated under duress while receiving the envelopes from the contractors. However, when asked about indicating duress in his statement, objections were raised by the prosecution, leading to arguments over the admission of the statement as evidence.

Justice Rahman Oshodi eventually admitted Ayoh’s statement into evidence, and the witness continued, alleging that Emefiele’s instructions suggested bending the rules. The case was adjourned until May 3 for further cross-examination.

Emefiele’s counsel requested his release on self-recognition, as his bail conditions hadn’t been met. The court was asked to consider extending the deadline to May 17, with no objections from the defense or prosecution. It’s worth noting that Emefiele has been under investigation since his removal as CBN governor by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last June.