DisCos add 241,590 meters as metering gap persists

Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) installed 241,590 meters nationwide in the first two months of 2026, as efforts to curb estimated billing and reduce the metering gap continue.

According to data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, 119,792 customers were metered in January, while 121,798 received meters in February.

The figures show that the number of metered customers rose from 7,086,376 in January to 7,208,174 in February. However, the national metering rate increased only slightly from 57.93 per cent to 58.57 per cent, indicating that millions of consumers remain unmetered.

Further analysis revealed that active electricity customers grew from 12,232,130 in January to 12,307,314 in February, leaving over five million users still reliant on estimated billing — a major source of consumer complaints.

Among the DisCos, Eko Electricity Distribution Company maintained the highest metering rate at 87.62 per cent in February, followed closely by Ikeja Electric at 87.16 per cent. Abuja Electricity Distribution Company also performed above the national average, recording 79.37 per cent.

Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company improved its metering rate to 66.36 per cent from 65.47 per cent, while Benin Electricity Distribution Company posted notable progress, increasing from 55.16 per cent to 56.75 per cent. Benin DisCo also recorded the highest number of new installations, with 51,570 meters deployed within the two-month period.

Despite having the largest customer base, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company recorded a modest improvement, with its metering rate rising to 52.23 per cent in February. Data showed that nearly half of its 2.48 million customers remain unmetered.

Enugu Electricity Distribution Company posted one of the weakest improvements, with its metering rate inching up from 51.79 per cent to 51.83 per cent. The company also saw a sharp drop in installations, from 4,839 meters in January to just 691 in February.

Northern DisCos continued to lag behind. Jos Electricity Distribution Company improved slightly to 34.04 per cent, while Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company rose to 35.59 per cent.

Kano Electricity Distribution Company recorded one of the slowest deployment rates, installing only 310 meters across the two months despite serving close to 800,000 customers. Its metering rate remained almost unchanged at 35.37 per cent.

Similarly, Yola Electricity Distribution Company remained among the lowest performers, though its metering rate improved slightly to 31.86 per cent.

Industry stakeholders have attributed the slow pace of meter rollout to funding challenges, foreign exchange constraints, supply chain disruptions, and the high cost of procurement.

Although the Federal Government and regulators have introduced several initiatives to address the issue, the latest figures highlight a persistent metering gap, with roughly four in every 10 electricity consumers still without meters.