More than five million electricity consumers across Nigeria are still without prepaid meters, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), leaving many households and businesses exposed to estimated billing by power distribution companies (DisCos).
In its third-quarter 2025 industry report, NERC disclosed that only 6.66 million out of 12.03 million registered electricity customers had been metered as of September 30, 2025. This represents a metering coverage of just 55.37 per cent nationwide.
The report showed that 228,614 meters were installed across the country between July and September 2025, a slight increase from the 226,959 units recorded in the second quarter. Ibadan, Aba and Abuja DisCos led the installations during the period, jointly accounting for more than 60 per cent of the total meters deployed.
However, NERC noted that progress was uneven, as nine DisCos recorded declines in meter installations during the quarter.
Port Harcourt and Jos DisCos were the worst affected, posting drops of over 60 per cent each. In contrast, Aba, Abuja and Ibadan DisCos recorded significant improvements in deployment.
Most of the meters installed during the quarter came through the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, which accounted for more than 77 per cent of installations. Other frameworks, including vendor-financed arrangements, the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) and DisCo-financed projects, contributed smaller numbers.
NERC explained that the Meter Acquisition Fund, introduced in 2023, allows DisCos to recover metering costs through approved tariff charges. Under Tranche B of the scheme, which took effect in October 2025, N28 billion has been set aside to meter Band A and B customers nationwide.
The regulator also highlighted DISREP, a Federal Government-backed programme supported by a $500 million World Bank loan, which aims to close the metering gap by deploying 3.2 million smart meters. Meter installation under the programme began in May 2025, starting with Abuja DisCo, with fewer than 8,000 meters installed by the end of the third quarter.
NERC said the continued presence of millions of unmetered customers remains a major challenge for the power sector, as it fuels billing disputes and weakens consumer trust.
The commission stressed the need for faster and more coordinated meter deployment to protect electricity users and improve transparency in billing across the country.
