Electricity Meter: NERC Unveils Latest Number of Metered and Unmetered Customers in Nigeria
- 707,765 electricity meters have been installed across Nigeria in the first half of 2026, a 71% increase from 412,792 installed during the same period in 2025
- NERC said 350,270 meters were installed in Q2 2026, with DISREP accounting for the largest share at 205,486 meters
- Despite the increase, more than 4.8 million active electricity customers remained unmetered as of June 2026, with the national metering rate standing at 61.51%
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Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
The Federal Government and electricity distribution companies installed 707,765 electricity meters across Nigeria in the first half of 2026, marking a significant increase in metering activity compared with the same period in 2025.
Data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed that the number of meters installed between January and June 2026 was 71% higher than the 412,792 meters recorded during the corresponding period of 2025.
Source: Getty Images
According to Daily Trust, the latest figures highlight the continued push to close Nigeria’s metering gap and reduce the number of electricity consumers who receive estimated bills.
Nigeria’s meter installations rise sharply
According to NERC’s quarterly data, electricity distribution companies and other metering programmes installed 357,495 meters in the first quarter of 2026 and another 350,270 meters in the second quarter.
This compares with 187,161 meters installed in Q1 2025 and 225,631 meters recorded in Q2 2025.
The increase comes as the Federal Government and DisCos intensify efforts to provide customers with meters and improve transparency in electricity billing.
NERC said the 350,270 meters installed in the second quarter of 2026 came through several financing and metering programmes, with the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) accounting for the largest share.
A total of 205,486 meters, representing 58.67 per cent of all meters installed during the quarter, were deployed under DISREP.
The Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework accounted for another 123,833 meters, while 13,028 meters were installed through the Metering Asset Finance (MAF) framework.
DisCo-financed metering accounted for 7,643 installations, while 280 meters were provided under the Vendor Financed framework.
Over 4.8 million electricity customers still unmetered
Despite the strong increase in installations, millions of electricity customers remain without meters, meaning many households and businesses are still exposed to estimated billing.
NERC said that by the end of June 2026, 7,743,839 of the 12,589,486 active registered electricity customers in Nigeria had been metered. This represents a national metering rate of 61.51%.
The figures therefore indicate that more than 4.8 million active registered customers remained unmetered as of June 2026.
Legit.ng earlier reported that outrageous electricity bills accounted for 2,853 complaints received by the NERC in 2025.
Source: Twitter
The continued expansion of metering is expected to help electricity consumers pay for energy based on their actual consumption rather than estimates, while also improving accountability across the electricity supply chain.
For the Federal Government and DisCos, however, the latest figures show that significant work remains to completely close Nigeria’s metering gap.
Lagos grants 14 electricity licences to new firms
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that LASERC issued 14 new electricity licences to boost competition in the sector.
Major firms like Axxela and Isolo Power Gen received approvals for significant power generation projects across Lagos.
LASERC plans new zonal offices to enhance customer service and simplify regulatory access for electricity consumers.
Source: Legit.ng
