By Onu Okorie

Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, has disclosed that about 350,000 electricity meters were installed nationwide during his first 100 days in office, describing metering as central to restoring discipline and consumer confidence in the electricity market.
Tegbe made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing journalists on his achievements during his first 100 days as minister, covering the period from June 8 to September 16, 2026.
He said official programme records showed that cumulative meter installations had reached 1,004,260 as of August 2026, representing meters deployed between January and August under various Federal Government metering programmes.
According to him, the 350,000 meters installed during the 100-day period contributed significantly to the cumulative figure and reflected an acceleration in deployment in recent weeks.
The minister said the development would support efforts to replace disputed estimated billing with actual measured consumption while improving revenue accountability across the electricity value chain.
He disclosed that a major bottleneck that had slowed the metering programme had been resolved following the settlement of the AMMON litigation, which had paved the way for the procurement of about 1.4 million smart meters under the affected programmes.
Tegbe also said the metering of military formations was progressing, with about 90,000 installations recorded so far.
He explained that the initiative was aimed at strengthening payment discipline among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while improving accountability for electricity consumption.
The minister linked the metering drive to the need to address commercial losses in the electricity distribution system, which he put at between 30 and 40 per cent, alongside weak revenue collection and estimated billing.
To sustain the programme, Tegbe said 5,000 young Nigerians were currently undergoing training as smart-meter installers under the Power Force programme.
He said the initiative would help develop local technical capacity for the installation and maintenance of smart meters across the country.
Tegbe assured Nigerians that metering would remain a major priority under his eight-point agenda, alongside infrastructure upgrades and the protection of critical national assets.
He also reiterated that the Federal Government had no plan to increase electricity tariffs, stressing that improved billing accuracy through metering, rather than higher tariffs, remained the government’s preferred route to achieving a sustainable electricity market.
According to him, the next phase of the power sector reforms would focus on grid stabilisation, development of a super grid, improved utilisation of existing infrastructure and preparations for future electricity demand.
He added that performance indicators would be used to monitor improvements in electricity supply reliability and the resolution of consumer complaints.
The minister expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and urged Nigerians and the media to continue to support and scrutinise the ongoing power sector reforms.