The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reported that a total of 185,439 meters were installed in the last three months of 2024. This marks a slight increase of 0.19% compared to the 185,087 meters installed in the third quarter of 2024.
The commission noted that the increased installations resulted in a +0.42 percentage point increase in the net end-user metering rate across all the Distribution Companies (DisCos), rising from 46.15% in Q3 2024 to 46.57% in Q4 2024.
Breakdown of Meter Installations
The report revealed the following breakdown of meter installations during Q4 2024:
- 179,064 meters (96.56% of the total installations) were installed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework.
- 4,076 meters were installed under the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF).
- 1,924 meters were installed under the Vendor Financed framework.
- 374 meters were installed under the DisCo Financed framework.
Metering Statistics by DisCos
As of December 2024, the following are the metering statistics for major DisCos:
- Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC): Out of 2.64 million customers, 1.15 million were metered.
- Ikeja Electric: Of 1.28 million customers, nearly one million were metered.
- Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC): Out of 1.19 million customers, 911,000 were metered.
- Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC): Of 1.43 million customers, only 714 were metered.
- Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC): Of 823 customers, only 112 had prepaid meters.
NERC’s Plans and Safeguards for Metering Gaps
NERC has emphasized that DisCos should use a combination of available frameworks, including the Meter Asset Provider and National Mass Metering Regulations, as well as the Meter Acquisition Fund, to close their metering gaps.
The commission has also continued to issue monthly energy caps for unmetered customers to safeguard against exploitation. These caps set the maximum amount of energy that can be billed to unmetered customers based on the energy received by the DisCos and the consumption by metered customers on the same feeders.
Efforts to Improve Metering and Revenue Recovery
NERC reiterated that the most effective ways to improve energy accounting and revenue recovery are through accurate customer enumeration and the installation of end-use customer meters. As part of these efforts, the commission issued an order in 2024 for the operationalization of Tranche A of the Meter Acquisition Fund. This order directed DisCos to use the first tranche of disbursement from the MAF to procure and install meters for unmetered Band A customers within their service areas.
By the end of 2024, over 4,000 Band A customers had been metered under the MAF scheme.
The commission’s continued efforts to close the metering gap are designed to improve transparency, energy management, and the efficiency of Nigeria’s electricity market.
