Nigeria’s electricity sector recorded a significant boost in metering activities in October 2025, with 106,822 new prepaid meters installed across the country. This update, released through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) latest Metering Factsheet, highlights ongoing efforts to close the nation’s longstanding metering gap and enhance transparency in electricity billing.
Naija247News gathered that the October figure marks a notable rise compared to September, when about 80,943 meters were deployed nationwide. As a result, the national metering rate has now climbed to 56.07 per cent, up from 55.37 per cent recorded in the previous month. This improvement reflects the intensifying push by both regulators and electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to reduce consumers’ dependence on estimated billing, a practice that has drawn widespread criticism for years.
Naija247News understands that Nigeria currently has an estimated 12.07 million active electricity customers, out of which about 6.77 million are now metered. Despite the progress, a significant portion of the population remains unmetered, underscoring the scale of work still required to achieve full metering nationwide.
Performance across the 11 DisCos varies, with some companies making remarkable improvements. Aba Power Distribution Company particularly stood out, raising its metering rate from about 69 per cent in September to over 78 per cent in October. Ikeja Electric and Eko DisCo maintained their positions as national leaders in metering, both sustaining coverage levels above 84 per cent.
However, Naija247News reports that several DisCos, especially those operating within the North and parts of the South-East, continue to lag behind. Regions served by Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Kano and Yola DisCos remain below the 50 per cent metering threshold, a situation NERC has repeatedly described as unacceptable due to the challenges it poses for revenue collection, customer satisfaction and energy accountability.
According to the regulatory body, closing the metering gap remains central to Nigeria’s power-sector reforms. Naija247News gathered that NERC is reinforcing initiatives such as the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme and the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), alongside stricter compliance measures to ensure DisCos meet installation targets.
Naija247News reports that stakeholders agree that sustained collaboration between government agencies, DisCos, meter manufacturers and consumers is vital to achieving a transparent and fair electricity billing system. As meter rollout efforts intensify, many Nigerians hope the improved deployment rate will eventually eliminate estimated billing and foster greater confidence in the power sector.
Babatunde Ogunsakin ✔
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