Nigeria is set to take delivery of over 3 million electricity meters, according to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu. Speaking on Sunday, Adelabu stated that the initiative is aimed at addressing the significant metering gap across the country.
He revealed that the government expects the first batch—totaling 3,205,101 meters which was ordered last year. This move comes amid growing criticism of the power sector’s slow progress in closing the metering deficit.
Despite the slow pace, the Minister noted that significant progress has been made. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Tunji Bolaji, Adelabu said that 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1) are expected by April 2025, followed by a second batch of 200,000 meters in May 2025.
“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,” he said.
He noted that metering installations have been steadily progressing. As of December 2024, a total of 5,502,460 customers had been metered, representing about 55% of Nigeria’s 10,114,060 active electricity customers. In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed.
While acknowledging the remaining gap, Adelabu emphasized the government’s active efforts to close it. “The fact remains that a sizable portion of active electricity users already have meters, countering the exaggerated portrayal of an industry in crisis,” he added.
According to the statement, although meter installation rates have varied over the years, the sector maintains a yearly average of about 668,000 installations.
The government expects structured financing and targeted initiatives to accelerate the pace of deployment. One such initiative is the Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), which is projected to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026. This will be implemented through multiple procurement models, including:
1,437,501 meters via International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), 217,600 meters via National Competitive Bid (NCB) and 1,550,000 meters via International Competitive Bid 2 (ICB2)
As part of the DISREP plan, the first 75,000 meters under ICB1 will arrive in April 2025, followed by 200,000 in May 2025.
In addition, the government has launched the ₦700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) to further accelerate deployment. The initiative, which has secured ₦700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), aims to install 2 million meters annually over the next five years. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been established to oversee its implementation, with the tender for the first batch expected in Q3 2025.
“These structured interventions provide a clear roadmap for addressing the metering gap in an effective and sustainable manner,” the statement said.
It further stressed that while the metering gap is a real concern, the suggestion that it will take over a decade to resolve is misleading. With both the DISREP and PMI initiatives underway, Nigeria’s metering landscape is expected to see significant improvement before the end of the year.
“The focus should be on executing these well-structured plans, rather than offering blanket critiques that ignore the tangible progress being made,” the statement concluded.