The Federal Government is gearing up to roll out over 3.2 million electricity meters in phases as part of its efforts to reduce Nigeria’s electricity metering deficit, which currently stands at over 7 million.
In a statement issued Sunday by Bolaji Tunji, spokesperson for the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, it was revealed that 75,000 meters will arrive in April 2025 under the first phase of the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), with another 200,000 meters scheduled for May.
“While challenges persist, the facts tell a more balanced story – one of sustained effort, financial commitment, and structured implementation plans by the Federal Government of Nigeria to close the metering gap,” Tunji noted.
Providing updates on metering progress, the minister said the situation is not as dire as often portrayed. “Despite claims of stagnation, metering installations have been progressing steadily. As of December 2024, a total of 5,502,460 customers had been metered, representing about 55 per cent of the 10,114,060 active electricity customers in Nigeria,” Adelabu said.
He added, “In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed. While the government acknowledges the existing metering gap, it is actively working to close it as quickly as possible. However, the fact remains that a sizable portion of active electricity users already have meters, countering the exaggerated portrayal of an industry in crisis.”
According to the ministry, the electricity sector has maintained an annual installation rate of roughly 668,000 meters. The expectation is that with government financing and policy support, this rate will rise significantly.
One of the key programs, the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), aims to install 3,205,101 meters by 2026. This includes procurement through multiple channels—1,437,501 meters from ICB1, 217,600 from a National Competitive Bid, and 1,550,000 from ICB2.
In parallel, the N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) is expected to fast-track the process. “The initiative, which has already secured N700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), is structured to ensure large-scale meter procurement and deployment,” Adelabu said.
To oversee the PMI, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been set up, with a goal of installing two million meters annually for five years. The tender for the first batch is due in Q3 of 2025.
He addressed concerns about the timeline to resolve the issue: “With the ongoing DISREP and PMI initiatives, Nigeria’s metering landscape is set to experience significant improvement before the end of the year. The focus should be on the execution of these well-structured plans rather than a blanket critique that overlooks the real progress being made.”
