Over 53% of Nigerian Electricity Consumers Still Unmetered, Says NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has revealed that more than 53% of electricity consumers in the country remain unmetered as of the third quarter of 2024. This translates to over 7 million registered electricity customers without prepaid meters, relying instead on estimated billing systems.

According to NERC’s Q3 2024 report, the total number of registered electricity consumers stood at approximately 14.6 million, of which only 6.8 million had been provided with meters. The report highlighted persistent challenges in the power sector, including delays in the implementation of metering programs and inadequate funding for distribution companies (DisCos).

The lack of adequate metering has fueled consumer dissatisfaction, with many decrying the arbitrariness of estimated billing. Despite government initiatives like the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP), which aims to bridge the metering gap, progress has been slower than anticipated.

NERC cited the financial constraints faced by DisCos as a significant barrier to achieving universal metering. The commission also pointed to inefficiencies in the supply chain for meter production and distribution, which have further compounded the problem.

The metering gap continues to undermine transparency in electricity billing and complicates efforts to ensure accountability in energy consumption. Industry stakeholders have called for increased investment in metering infrastructure and urged the government to review regulatory policies to accelerate the rollout of prepaid meters.

While some progress has been recorded under various metering programs, NERC emphasized the need for collaboration among key players in the sector to meet the growing demand for meters and enhance service delivery.