THE Federal Government has announced plans to begin distributing over 3.2 million electricity meters to help close the country’s metering gap, currently estimated at over 7 million units.
According to a statement released yesterday by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the first batch of 75,000 meters—procured under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1)—is expected to arrive in April 2025. This will be followed by 200,000 additional units in May 2025.
Tunji noted that despite ongoing challenges, the government is making consistent efforts backed by financial investment and a clear implementation strategy to address the metering shortfall.
“As of December 2024, 5,502,460 customers—around 55 percent of the 10,114,060 active electricity users in Nigeria—had been metered.
In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed,” Adelabu said. “While we acknowledge the existing gap, there has been steady progress, and the industry is far from stagnant or in crisis.”
The statement highlighted that, on average, around 668,000 meters have been installed annually in recent years. With structured financing and government-driven initiatives, this pace is expected to increase significantly.
To boost metering nationwide, the government has launched key initiatives, including the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which aims to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026. This will include:
1,437,501 meters via ICB1
217,600 meters through National Competitive Bid (NCB)
1,550,000 meters via International Competitive Bid 2 (ICB2)
Under this plan, the first delivery of 75,000 meters is scheduled for April 2025, with the second batch of 200,000 meters to follow in May.
Another major intervention, the N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), is also in motion. Funded through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the PMI is designed for mass procurement and deployment of meters.
Adelabu stated that a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been created to manage the initiative, which aims to distribute two million meters annually for the next five years. The tender for the first batch of two million meters is expected by Q3 2025.
“These structured initiatives form a clear and practical roadmap for bridging the metering gap sustainably,” the minister emphasized.
He concluded by stating that while the gap remains a concern, the belief that it will take over a decade to resolve is inaccurate.
“With DISREP and PMI underway, Nigeria’s metering landscape is set for meaningful improvement by year-end. The focus should be on implementing these well-designed plans rather than dismissing the progress made so far,” Adelabu added.