The Federal Government plans to deploy 750,000 electricity meters across Nigeria in 2027 under the Presidential Metering Initiative to reduce estimated billing and improve electricity consumption measurement.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced the planned rollout in a metering factsheet released on October 14, outlining government programmes designed to expand meter access and strengthen consumer protection.
The proposed installation comes as millions of electricity customers remain without meters. NERC’s August 2026 data showed that Nigeria had 12.75 million active electricity customers, but only 8.05 million had been metered, leaving about 4.7 million without meters.
The existing metering rate stood at 63.10 per cent, meaning the planned 750,000 installations would cover only part of the outstanding gap.
The Presidential Metering Initiative is expected to complement other programmes supporting meter deployment in the electricity sector, including the Meter Asset Provider scheme, the National Mass Metering Programme, the Meter Acquisition Fund and the World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme.
Under the Meter Asset Provider scheme, customers can pay upfront for meters and receive refunds through energy credits, according to NERC. The National Mass Metering Programme was introduced to speed up installations, while the Meter Acquisition Fund provides distribution companies with access to long-term financing for meter procurement.
NERC said meters supplied and installed under the first two tranches of the Meter Acquisition Fund are provided to customers at no cost.
The Distribution Sector Recovery Programme also supports the effort through an investment financing component that funds bulk meter procurement for electricity distribution companies.
Together, the initiatives aim to increase the number of metered customers, improve billing accuracy and help distribution companies manage electricity revenue more effectively.
However, NERC’s factsheet did not specify how the 750,000 meters would be allocated among distribution companies or identify the areas scheduled to benefit from the 2027 rollout.
The regulator also reiterated protections for customers without meters, stating that distribution companies must follow applicable rules when issuing estimated bills.
It explained that estimated billing may be used when a meter cannot be read, while unmetered customers remain protected by regulatory limits on the amounts they can be charged.
