Federal Government says it is set to receive the first batch of 3,205,101 meters procured to bridge the metering gap in the country.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power (Adebayo Adelabu), Bolaji Tunji, said 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 are expected this month, while the second batch of 200,000 meters is expected in May.
This indicates that 275,000 metres are expected between April and May this year.
“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. 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 sizeable portion of active electricity users already have meters,” Tunji said amid the nation’s seven million metering gap.
According to the statement, though installation rates have varied over the years, the sector maintains a yearly average of about 668,000 meters installed.
He added that structured financing and government-backed initiatives are expected to accelerate deployment beyond the current pace, ensuring that the metering gap is addressed efficiently.
“To bridge this gap, the government has put in place key initiatives aimed at significantly improving metering across the country. The Distribution Sector Recovery Programme is set to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026. This will be achieved through different procurement models, including 1,437,501 metres through International Competitive Bid 1, 217,600 metres through National Competitive Bid, and 1,550,000 metres through International Competitive Bid 2 (ICB2).
“As part of this plan, the first batch of 75,000 meters under ICB1 is expected by April 2025, followed by the second batch of 200,000 meters in May 2025.
“In addition to the DISREP, the N700bn Presidential Metering Initiative is another key intervention designed to accelerate metering. The initiative, which has already secured N700bn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, is structured to ensure large-scale meter procurement and deployment. A special purpose vehicle has been established to oversee the implementation of the initiative. The government has set a target of deploying two million meters annually for five years, with the tender for the first batch of two million meters expected to be released by the third quarter of 2025,” he explained.
Tunji added that these structured interventions provide a clear roadmap for addressing the metering gap in an effective and sustainable manner.
The statement revealed further that “with the ongoing DISREP and PMI initiatives, Nigeria’s metering landscape is set to experience significant improvement before the end of the year.”