Nigeria’s push to narrow its long-standing electricity metering gap has gained momentum, with the national metering rate climbing to 56.07% as of October 2025, according to the latest Metering Factsheet released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The new data, covering September and October, shows consistent improvements across the power sector, though performance remains uneven among the country’s 11 electricity distribution companies.
In September, Nigeria had 12.03 million active electricity customers, of whom 6.66 million were metered. An additional 80,943 meters were installed that month, raising the national metering rate to 55.37%. By October, active customers rose slightly to 12.07 million, while those metered increased to 6.77 million. The installation of 106,822 new meters, about 25,000 more than in September pushed the national rate to 56.07%.
Among the DisCos, Aba Power recorded one of the strongest improvements, moving from 69.49% in September to 78.20% by October. Eko DisCo and Ikeja Electric remain the sector’s most consistent performers, each sustaining metering rates above 84%. Abuja and Ibadan DisCos also posted steady gains, which NERC attributes to better rollout strategies and improved customer onboarding.
However, significant disparities persist. Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola DisCos continue to operate with metering rates below 50%. Although they are installing new meters, NERC warns that the pace is insufficient to close the widening gap between metered and unmetered customers.
The regulator explains that the publication of the factsheet is part of efforts to improve transparency in the electricity market and keep consumers informed on sector progress. According to earlier NERC updates, active customers across the 11 DisCos increased from 11.89 million in July to 11.96 million in August 2025. The commission also reported billing efficiency of 86% in September, with DisCos receiving energy worth N279.45 billion and successfully billing N241.54 billion.
Data from NERC’s Q2 2025 report shows that most new meters 65.52% were installed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, followed by those deployed through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF), vendor-financed arrangements, and a small number installed directly by the DisCos.
While the improvements mark progress, the regulator maintains that millions of customers remain unmetered, underscoring the scale of work still required to achieve full transparency and fairness in Nigeria’s electricity billing system.
