Nigeria to Roll Out Over 3.2 Million New Electricity Meters, First Batch Arrives April

The Federal Government is preparing to receive the first shipment of over 3.2 million electricity meters aimed at reducing the country’s longstanding metering deficit.

According to a statement from Bolaji Tunji, media aide to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, the rollout begins this April with the arrival of 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid (ICB1). Another 200,000 meters are expected in May, bringing the total to 275,000 units over the next two months.

Tunji noted that while progress has been made, a sizable metering gap still exists. As of December 2024, 5.5 million customers had been metered, covering just 55% of Nigeria’s 10.1 million active electricity users. Last year alone, 572,050 meters were deployed, and the sector has averaged around 668,000 installations annually in recent years.

The government has outlined a multi-faceted strategy to address the remaining shortfall of approximately seven million meters. Central to this is the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which is expected to deliver over 3.2 million meters by 2026. These will be sourced through a mix of procurement models: 1.4 million meters via ICB1, 217,600 through the National Competitive Bid, and 1.55 million under International Competitive Bid 2.

In parallel, the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI)—a N700 billion intervention funded through the Federation Account Allocation Committee—aims to provide two million meters annually for the next five years. A dedicated implementation body has been created to manage the process, with the first procurement phase scheduled for Q3 2025.

Tunji emphasized that these structured efforts are designed to accelerate meter distribution and ensure equitable access to accurate electricity billing across the country. With both DISREP and the PMI in motion, the outlook for Nigeria’s metering landscape is expected to improve significantly before the end of the year.