File photo: Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe
The Presidency plans to install 750,000 electricity meters in 2027 under the Presidential Metering Initiative as part of efforts to close Nigeria’s metering gap and reduce estimated billing in the power sector.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission disclosed this in its metering factsheet issued on 14 October, which outlined government-backed metering programmes and the rights of electricity consumers.
On the planned deployment, the commission stated that the PMI “starts in 2027 with 750,000 meters to help close the metering gap”.
The initiative comes amid a persistent shortfall in electricity metering, with millions of customers still relying on estimated bills from distribution companies.
NERC’s August 2026 metering figures showed that 12.75 million electricity customers were active nationwide, of whom 8.05 million had meters, representing a metering rate of 63.10 per cent. This left approximately 4.7 million customers.
The planned deployment of 750,000 meters would address part of the shortfall, although additional installations would be needed to meter the remaining customers.
The Presidential Metering Initiative is one of several interventions aimed at accelerating meter deployment in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
Others include the Meter Asset Provider scheme in which customers pay for their meters, the National Mass Metering Programme, the Meter Acquisition Fund and the World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme.
Explaining the MAP scheme, NERC said, “Private Meter Asset Providers close the gap“ and it “allows customers to pay upfront for their meter and be refunded through energy credits“.
The commission disclosed that the National Mass Metering Programme was “introduced alongside MAP under the 2021 regulations to accelerate mass metering”.
The Meter Acquisition Fund, it stated, helps DisCos secure long-term financing for the procurement of meter.
It was explained that “meters procured and installed under MAF (Tranches A & B) come at no cost to customers.“
The commission also described the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme as a World Bank-backed intervention that operates alongside the other schemes.
According to the factsheet, DISREP runs alongside MAP, NMMP and MAF to further accelerate the closure of the metering gap and protect DisCo revenue.
It added that the Investment Project Financing component of the programme “is the component that funds bulk procurement of meters for DisCos.”
The various interventions are expected to complement one another by expanding meter deployment and improving the accuracy of electricity billing.
However, the factsheet did not provide a breakdown of how the 750,000 meters would be distributed among the electricity distribution companies or the specific locations to be covered in 2027.
Aside from meter deployment, NERC reiterated protections for customers who remain unmetered, particularly concerning estimated electricity bills.
It disclosed that customers can get estimated bills if their meters cannot be read.
The commission stated, “DisCos can only estimate your bill when they cannot read your meter. Unmetered customers are protected by strict capping rules.”
It also outlined the conditions governing meter installation under the existing schemes.