Over 40% of Nigeria’s 12.03 million active registered electricity customers are still without meters, according to the electricity regulator NERC, leaving them exposed to the uncertainty of estimated billing by distribution companies (Discos). The wide metering gap in Nigeria is linked to several factors, ranging from slow rollout to limited funding and underinvestment in the sector.
Although there was a slight increase in meter installations in Q3 2025, growth was marginal at 0.73%. More importantly, nine distribution companies recorded declines in installations, with Port Harcourt and Jos Discos experiencing drops of more than 60%. This uneven performance has slowed overall metering progress nationwide.
Most meters installed (over 77%) during the period under review came through the Meter Asset Provider (MAP)framework, while Disco‑financed meters accounted for just 0.06%. This suggests that Discos are largely unwilling or unable to fund metering directly, relying instead on external or customer‑linked schemes that scale slowly.
The extremely low contribution from Disco‑financed metering also indicates poor capital investment by some Discos. Financial constraints, inefficiencies, or lack of incentives may be limiting their ability to procure and install meters at the required pace.
Regional and operational disparities
While Aba, Abuja and Ibadan Discos recorded strong gains, others saw sharp declines. This points to management, security, logistics, or operational challenges in certain regions, which may be affecting meter deployment.
With over 12 million active registered customers and only about 6.6 million metered, customer growth continues to outstrip the pace of metering, widening the gap despite ongoing installations.
The Federal Government had planned to deploy about 1.1 million electricity meters nationwide by the end of 2025under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) after securing funding of about ₦700bn. This was intended to reduce the number of unmetered customers and limit estimated billing.
Similarly, the World Bank‑funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) aims to roll out 3.2 million smart meters between 2024 and 2025.
Shortfalls against targets
NERC data reveal key shortfalls when these figures are compared with targets. The commission says the metering gap remains far larger than government projections.
Even if the Federal Government’s 1.1 million meters under PMI are fully deployed by the end of 2025, they would cover only about 20% of the deficit, leaving more than 4 million customers still exposed to estimated billing.
DISREP targets are also not translating into rapid impact, with only 7,902 meters (3.46%) installed in Q3 2025, indicating a significant implementation lag compared to stated ambitions.
Overall, the installation pace falls short of promises, with a total of 228,614 new meters installed in Q3 (+0.73%) under five frameworks:
- MAP: 176,302 meters (77.12%)
- Vendor‑Financed: 44,104 meters (25.01%)
- DISREP: 7,902 meters (3.46%)
- MAF: 175 meters (0.08%)
- Disco‑Financed: 131 meters (0.06%)
At this pace, annual installations remain well below what is required to close the huge gap within a reasonable timeframe, even with PMI and DISREP running concurrently.
The bottom line
With over 12 million active customers and only 6.66 million metered in a country of more than 200 million people, new connections are expanding faster than metering initiatives. Even optimistic projections suggest government targets are chasing the problem rather than overtaking it.
While government programmes exist, 77% of meters still come from the MAP framework, which depends heavily on customers or third‑party providers. Discos themselves contributed just 0.06% through direct financing, highlighting a structural weakness in utility‑led metering.
Moreover, nine Discos recorded declines in installations—some exceeding 60%—effectively cancelling out gains made under federal programmes. This shows that government funding and international support are not being matched by operational efficiency at the Disco level.
To fill this gap, Nigeria needs a multi‑pronged approach that ensures stronger Disco investment, technology deployment, and private sector participation. Together, these steps could close the metering gap and reduce reliance on estimated billing.