Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos) installed 225,631 new meters in the second quarter of 2025, representing a 20.55% increase from the 187,161 meters deployed in the first quarter, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The data, contained in NERC’s Q2 2025 Quarterly Report, highlights steady progress in the country’s ongoing metering drive under multiple frameworks.
Breakdown of Meter Installations
Out of the total meters installed, 147,823 units (65.5%) were deployed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework, while 65,315 meters came through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF). Another 12,259 meters were installed via the Vendor Financed scheme, and 234 meters under the DisCo Financed model.
Despite the improvement, NERC noted that as of June 2025, only 6.42 million of the 11.82 million registered electricity customers in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) had functional meters — translating to a 54.33% metering rate. This means nearly half of Nigerian electricity consumers remain unmetered, relying on estimated billing.
To protect unmetered consumers, the regulator said it continues to enforce the monthly energy cap policy, which limits how much electricity distribution companies can bill customers without meters.
“This policy ensures that unmetered customers are not billed beyond the maximum energy consumption on their feeder,” NERC stated.
Decline in Customer Complaints, But Resolution Rates Lag
NERC’s report also revealed that DisCos recorded 227,267 complaints in Q2 2025 — a 10.67% decrease from the 254,404 logged in Q1. Most of the complaints were related to billing, metering, and power supply interruptions, consistent with historical patterns.
At the regulator’s Central Complaint Unit (CCU), only 1,129 out of 2,474 complaints were resolved, reflecting a 45.6% resolution rate, which NERC described as below standard.
The report further showed that two forum offices were closed during the quarter, reducing the number of active complaint forums from 26 to 24. Meanwhile, 1,418 appeals were active across the remaining offices, with 958 resolved, representing a 67.6% resolution rate, down from 74.1% in Q1 2025.
NERC’s Crackdown on Billing Violations
Earlier in April 2025, NERC fined eight DisCos — including Ikeja Electric, Eko Disco, Abuja Disco, Enugu Disco, Jos Disco, Kaduna Electric, Kano Disco, and Yola Disco — for breaching the energy cap regulation on estimated billing.
The penalties totaled ₦628 million, with the regulator also directing each company to issue credit adjustments to all affected customers.
The sanctions sparked mixed reactions among consumers and industry stakeholders. While many applauded NERC’s stance on consumer protection, others expressed concern that fines alone may not fix systemic challenges in billing transparency and metering rollout.
Metering Gap Still a Challenge
Although the Q2 2025 data reflects progress, Nigeria’s metering gap remains a key obstacle to efficient power sector reform. NERC has emphasized that increased investment in metering and stricter regulatory enforcement are crucial to eliminating estimated billing and restoring consumer trust in the electricity market.
