Presidency to install 750,000 electricity meters in 2027

The Nigerian Presidency intends to install 750,000 electricity meters in 2027 through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) as part of its strategy to bridge the country's metering gap and decrease estimated billing in the power sector. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) disclosed this plan in its metering factsheet, which highlighted the government-backed metering programs and the rights of electricity consumers.

According to the PMI, the deployment of 750,000 meters would commence in 2027, aiming to address the persistent shortfall in electricity metering. Currently, approximately 12.75 million electricity customers are active nationwide, of whom 8.05 million have meters, resulting in a metering rate of 63.10 per cent. Consequently, around 4.7 million customers still rely on estimated bills from distribution companies.

The PMI is one of several interventions to accelerate meter deployment in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. Other initiatives include the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), Meter Acquisition Fund, and World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP). These programs aim to expand meter deployment and improve the accuracy of electricity billing.

The MAP scheme allows customers to purchase their meters upfront and receive refunds through energy credits, while the NMMP was introduced alongside MAP under 2021 regulations to accelerate mass metering. The Meter Acquisition Fund helps distribution companies secure long-term financing for meter procurement. The DISREP, a World Bank-backed intervention, operates alongside MAP, NMMP, and MAP to further accelerate metering gap closure and safeguard DisCos' revenue.

It should be noted that the factsheet did not provide a breakdown of how the 750,000 meters would be distributed among distribution companies or the specific locations to be covered in 2027. Nonetheless, the NERC clarified that customers can receive estimated bills if their meters cannot be read, and DisCos must adhere to strict capping rules.