Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have largely failed to meet their regulatory obligation to meter customers, with only 90,172 prepaid electricity meters funded nationwide between 2019 and the third quarter of 2025, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) latest industry report.
The data indicates a sharp decline in DisCos’ contribution to closing Nigeria’s metering gap despite repeated directives requiring increased deployment.
Under the DisCo‑Financed Framework, which mandates distribution companies to fund meters for eligible customers without charge, NERC reported that just 1,178 meters were funded in the first quarter of 2025, 234 in the second quarter and 131 in the third quarter. Cumulatively, DisCos financed only a minimal share of installations compared with other metering schemes, raising concerns over compliance and customer service delivery.
Data from the report shows that two utilities accounted for most of the meters installed under the DisCo‑Financed Framework. Jos Electricity Distribution Plc led with 52,174 meters deployed from 2019 to 2025, while Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company installed 37,156 meters, most of them between 2019 and 2023. Other DisCos recorded negligible or zero installations under the framework through the third quarter of 2025.
Several major DisCos, including Eko, Aba, Abuja, Benin, Ikeja, Port Harcourt and Yola, reported no meter funding under the DisCo‑Financed model by the end of September 2025, underscoring the minimal role the private utilities have played in directly supporting metering.
The total number of DisCo‑funded meters accounted for just 0.06 per cent of the 228,614 meters installed across all metering frameworks during the same period.
By contrast, alternative schemes such as the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework and the Vendor‑Financed framework drove most recent metering efforts. In the third quarter of 2025, 176,302 meters were installed through the MAP framework and 44,104 meters via vendor financing.
A World Bank‑supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme also contributed 7,902 meters to installations during the period.
As of September 30, 2025, NERC reported that 6.66 million out of 12.03 million active registered electricity customers had been metered nationwide, representing a metering rate of 55.37 per cent.
The findings suggest that more than 5 million customers remain without meters, exposing them to billing disputes linked to estimated billing practices.
NERC’s report emphasised that inadequate metering continues to hinder effective revenue collection, fuel commercial losses, and exacerbate disputes between customers and DisCos over estimated billing amounts.
The commission reiterated the need for improved enumeration and accelerated deployment of meters to reduce aggregate technical, commercial and collection losses in the power sector.
Observers say the limited participation of DisCos in direct metering raises questions about adherence to regulatory obligations, customer protection and the pace of reform in Nigeria’s electricity market.
As government and regulators pursue initiatives to close the metering gap, sustained enforcement and clearer accountability measures for utilities are seen as essential to achieving broader sector stability.
