The Federal Government will commence the receipt of over 3.2 million prepaid electricity meters from April 2025, in a major push to close Nigeria’s longstanding electricity metering gap.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in a statement on Sunday signed by his Special Adviser on Communication and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji.
According to the statement, the first consignment of 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1) will arrive in April, with a second batch of 200,000 meters expected in May. The procurement is part of a broader plan under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which targets the delivery of 3.2 million meters by 2026.
Adelabu emphasized that while metering challenges persist, significant progress is being made. “As of December 2024, 5,502,460 customers—representing 55 percent of Nigeria’s 10,114,060 active electricity users—had already been metered,” he said. In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed, with the average yearly installation rate now at 668,000.
To accelerate progress, the Federal Government is leveraging two major initiatives: the DISREP and the newly launched ₦700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI). The PMI aims to supply two million meters annually over the next five years, supported by funding from the Federation Account Allocation Committee and managed through a Special Purpose Vehicle for large-scale procurement and efficient distribution.
Under DISREP, meter procurement will follow multiple models—1,437,501 through ICB1, 217,600 via National Competitive Bidding, and 1.55 million meters through a second international bid.
Adelabu also revealed that a tender for the first batch of two million meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative will be issued in the third quarter of 2025.
Dismissing reports that it may take over a decade to close the metering gap, the minister insisted that with ongoing structured financing and focused implementation, Nigeria’s metering deficit would see significant reduction by year-end.
“The country’s metering landscape is poised for significant improvement before the end of the year,” he said.