The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved the release of ₦28 billion to electricity distribution companies for the next phase of the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme. The funding will cover the free installation of meters for all Band A customers who are yet to be metered.
The initiative, which forms part of the Presidential Metering Initiative, aims to reduce Nigeria’s estimated seven-million-meter shortfall and end the use of estimated billing across the country.
Under the new arrangement, the ₦28bn will be shared among the 11 DisCos according to their size and market contribution. Ikeja Electric will get about ₦5.47bn, followed by Eko DisCo with ₦4.36bn, Ibadan DisCo with ₦4.26bn, and Abuja DisCo with ₦3.31bn, while smaller companies like Yola and Jos DisCos will receive ₦231m and ₦794m respectively.
NERC said the funds are intended to accelerate meter deployment, improve billing transparency, and reduce electricity losses caused by theft. It also clarified that all meters installed under this programme will be provided free of charge to customers.
This phase, known as Tranche B, follows the earlier ₦21bn phase concluded in June 2025. The new directive, signed by Vice Chairman Musiliu Oseni and Commissioner Dafe Akpeneye, requires DisCos to start the procurement process within 10 days and submit their chosen Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) to the regulator within 15 days for approval.
Once approved, MAPs must deliver all meters to DisCos within seven days, after which NERC will release 60% of the payment. The balance will only be paid after full installation is confirmed. DisCos that cause delays or fail to provide necessary data will face penalties equal to the cost of the uninstalled meters.
All installations under this phase must be completed by December 31, 2025. NERC explained that the Meter Acquisition Fund was created to help DisCos address financing challenges that have slowed down metering efforts in the past.
Despite previous interventions, Nigeria’s metering rate remains at just 54%, leaving millions of customers unmetered. With this new funding, NERC hopes that by the end of 2025, all Band A users will be fully metered, improving service delivery and ensuring accurate billing across the power sector.
