The Federal Government has announced plans to receive the initial batch of 3.205 million electricity meters in April 2025, as part of its ongoing efforts to significantly reduce the metering gap across the country.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this information in a statement released on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji.
According to the Minister, these meters are being procured under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), an ambitious initiative aimed at delivering a total of 3.2 million meters by the year 2026 through various procurement models. Adelabu revealed that the first consignment of 75,000 meters, secured under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), is expected to arrive by the end of April, with an additional 200,000 meters anticipated in May.
The breakdown of meter procurement under DISREP includes:
1.437 million meters through ICB1
217,600 meters through National Competitive Bid (NCB)
1.550 million meters through ICB2
N700 Billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) in Progress
In addition to the DISREP initiative, Minister Adelabu highlighted the progress of the N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI). He stated that funding for this significant initiative has already been secured from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The Minister explained that the PMI has been structured to ensure the large-scale procurement and deployment of electricity meters. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been established to oversee the effective implementation of the initiative.
“While challenges persist, the facts tell a more balanced story; one of sustained effort, financial commitment, and structured implementation plans by the Federal Government to close the metering gap,” Adelabu emphasized.
He also addressed claims of stagnation in metering efforts, asserting that installations have been steadily progressing. As of December 2024, a total of 5.502 million customers had been metered, representing approximately 55 percent of the 10.114 million active electricity customers nationwide. The Minister further noted that in 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed, maintaining an average yearly deployment rate of 668,000 meters.
Ambitious Metering Targets Set for the Future
The government has set an ambitious target of deploying 2 million meters annually over the next five years, with the initial batch of the DISREP meters expected to arrive by the third quarter of 2024 (revised to April 2025 in the latest announcement).
Minister Adelabu emphasized, “These structured interventions provide a clear roadmap for addressing the metering gap in an effective and sustainable manner,” adding that the notion of it taking over a decade to resolve the issue is misleading. He expressed confidence that the combined efforts of DISREP and PMI will significantly reduce Nigeria�s metering gap before the end of the current year.
Key Points to Note:
It is worth recalling that in October 2024, the Federal Government had announced the deployment of 1.3 million meters under DISREP by the end of the second quarter of 2025. According to data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), metering by distribution companies (Discos) reached 672,539 meters, leaving a substantial number of unmetered electricity customers at 7.3 million, despite ongoing efforts within the Nigerian Power Sector.
The latest announcement from the Minister of Power indicates a renewed push and a significant step forward in the government’s commitment to bridging the electricity metering gap in Nigeria.
