BY UCHE ANEKE
One of the most persistent challenges confronting Nigeria’s electricity sector remains the wide metering gap—a deficit that has, for too long, undermined consumer confidence, enabled the scourge of estimated billing, weakened revenue assurance, and constrained the liquidity of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). According to official figures from the Ministry of Power, Nigeria’s historical metering deficit is estimated at over eight million customers, a gap that has proven stubborn despite years of policy interventions.
Yet, there are now compelling signs that the tide is turning. The Federal Government, under its renewed commitment to sector reform, has embarked on an ambitious and multi-pronged strategy to bridge this deficit, restore trust, and place the industry on a firmer financial and operational footing.
Central to this drive is the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), a flagship programme designed to accelerate meter deployment on an unprecedented scale, strengthen local manufacturing capacity, create thousands of jobs, and deepen private-sector participation in the metering value chain. To date, over two million meters have been injected into the sector under this initiative, with the government successfully mobilizing more than N700 billion in funding through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to sustain the momentum.
Importantly, the PMI is not merely about hardware. The government has concluded arrangements to train over 4,000 Nigerians in meter installation and house wiring—equipping them with certified skills to professionally handle the installation of meters delivered under the programme. The training will be conducted by the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), while the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) will certify participants and issue them with wiring competency certification . Far from being a one-off engagement, these certified personnel will be empowered to continue offering services across the electricity sector long after the initial deployment phase is completed.
Complementing the PMI is the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), a World Bank-supported initiative aimed at restoring the financial health and technical performance of Nigeria’s electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). By closing the metering gap, eliminating estimated billing, minimizing commercial losses, and improving service delivery, DISREP seeks to make the sector more attractive to both local and international investors.
In a major boost to this effort, over 1.5 million smart electricity meters recently arrived at Apapa Port, shipped from China. This latest consignment, combined with the one million meters currently being deployed, brings the total number of meters received under the programme to 2.5 million. While installation has regrettably lagged—with only about 150,000 meters connected so far—the sheer scale of the delivery signals a decisive push toward closing the deficit.
In a demonstration of hands-on oversight, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, recently undertook an inspection tour of the metering and transmission infrastructure in Lagos. At the APM Terminal in Apapa, he assessed the newly arrived smart meters, and visited the site of a 133/33kV transmission substation being constructed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
During the visit, the Minister issued a firm warning stating that any electricity distribution company, meter manufacturer, or installer found extorting money from consumers for the installation of DISREP meters—which are provided free of charge—would face prosecution. He urged electricity consumers to embrace the whistleblower option, providing useful information that would lead to the apprehension of erring actors. His message was unambiguous: “DISREP meters are free. No consumer should pay a kobo for them.”
The Minister also visited the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, operated by NEMSA, to inspect meters submitted for certification. He was received by top management of the agency, including the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Peter Utsu, who was at the time acting Managing Director following the expiration of the substantive CEO’s tenure, and the Executive Director, Commercial Services, Barr. Memunah Abubukar Yusuf.
Briefing the Minister, Dr. Utsu disclosed that under the DISREP programme, 476,208 meters have so far been tested and certified. He emphasised that this was in line with NEMSA’s statutory mandate to ensure that every meter deployed across NESI is accurate, safe, and reliable. In a significant milestone, he revealed that NEMSA tested a record 1.5 million meters across all programmes in 2025 alone, generating over N1 billion in revenue—a historic first for the agency.
Responding, the Minister commended NEMSA’s achievement and underscored a deeper philosophy underpinning the metering drive. “Metering is not just about numbers,” he said. “It is about trust. Consumers must be confident that the meters installed in their homes and businesses have been tested, certified, and truly reflect their energy consumption.” He added: “In addition to the port inspection, my visit here to the NEMSA Test Station underscores another critical message: every meter deployed under DISREP must meet strict technical, safety and quality standards.”
With these vigorous and coordinated efforts, the goal of closing Nigeria’s metering gap is steadily moving from aspiration to reality. Yet, the task is far from complete. Sustained collaboration among all stakeholders, government, regulators, DisCos, manufacturers, installers, and consumers will be essential to ensuring that this lofty vision is fully realized and that the benefits of accurate, transparent, and fair billing are extended to every Nigerian electricity user.