The Nigerian federal government has announced that it is poised to receive the initial consignment of 3,205,101 electricity meters, a procurement intended to significantly reduce the country's metering deficit. Bolaji Tunji, the media aide to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, released a statement detailing that the first batch of 75,000 meters, secured under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), is anticipated to arrive by April 2025, with a subsequent batch of 200,000 meters expected in May 2025.

According to Tunji, despite persistent challenges in metering electricity consumers, considerable progress has been made in metering installations. As of December 2024, 5,502,460 customers, representing approximately 55% of the 10,114,060 active electricity customers in Nigeria, have been metered. In 2024 alone, 572,050 meters were installed.

The government acknowledges the existing metering gap and is actively pursuing measures to close it as expeditiously as possible. However, it emphasizes that a substantial proportion of active electricity users already possess meters, thereby challenging what it describes as an exaggerated depiction of the industry's situation.

The statement further indicates that while installation rates have fluctuated over the years, the sector has maintained an average annual installation rate of approximately 668,000 meters. The government anticipates that structured financing and government-backed initiatives will accelerate deployment beyond the current pace, ensuring the efficient resolution of the metering gap.

Key government initiatives designed to substantially improve metering across the country include the Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), which aims to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026. This will be facilitated through various procurement models, including 1,437,501 meters via International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1), 217,600 meters through National Competitive Bid (NCB), and 1,550,000 meters through International Competitive Bid 2 (ICB2). The arrival of the initial 75,000 meters under ICB1 is slated for April 2025, followed by the second batch of 200,000 meters in May 2025.

In addition to DISREP, the N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) represents another critical intervention intended to expedite metering. This initiative, backed by N700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), is structured to ensure the large-scale procurement and deployment of meters. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has been established to oversee the implementation of the PMI.

The government has set an ambitious target of deploying 2 million meters annually for five years, with the tender for the first batch of 2 million meters expected to be released by the third quarter of 2025. These structured interventions are designed to provide a clear and sustainable roadmap for addressing the metering gap. While the metering gap remains a concern, the government asserts that claims suggesting it will take over a decade to resolve are misleading. With the ongoing DISREP and PMI initiatives, Nigeria's metering landscape is poised for significant improvement before the end of the year. The government emphasizes that the focus should be on executing these well-structured plans, rather than engaging in blanket critiques that overlook the real progress being made.