4.7m Electricity Consumers Still Unmetered Despite 63% Coverage – Reports

4.7 m Electricity Consumers Still Unmetered Despite 63 % Coverage– Reports

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission states about 4.7 million electrical power clients in Nigeria stayed without meters since August 2026, regardless of circulation business setting up 141,746 meters throughout the month.

The regulator’s metering factsheet, released on Wednesday, revealed that the variety of active electrical energy consumers increased to 12.75 million in August from 12.67 million in July, while the variety of metered consumers increased from 7.90 million to 8.05 million.

The figures represent a nationwide metering rate of 63.10 percent in August, up from 62.37 percent in July. The boost indicates that more than one-third of active consumers were still without meters, leaving millions of families and organizations reliant on other billing plans.

The current figures likewise revealed that the speed of metering slowed in August. Circulation business set up 141,746 meters throughout the month, 18,234 less than the 159,980 set up in July, representing an 11.4 percent decrease.

The advancement highlights the continuing obstacle dealing with the electrical energy circulation business as the regulator pursues efforts to close the metering space, enhance billing openness and reinforce profits collection in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

A breakdown of the August figures revealed that Eko Electricity Distribution Company taped the greatest metering rate at 89.64 percent, followed by Ikeja with 87.74 percent and Abuja with 82.62 percent.

Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company tape-recorded a metering rate of 71 percent, ending up being the 4th circulation business to reach the 70 percent limit in August.

Benin tape-recorded 64.41 percent, while Ibadan accomplished 59.23 percent and Enugu 52.40 percent.

4 circulation business stayed listed below the 50 percent limit utilized by NERC to categorize metering efficiency as bad. Kano taped 42.84 percent, Kaduna 42.32 percent, Yola 39.15 percent, and Jos 37.60 percent.

Jos had the most affordable metering rate amongst the 11 circulation business, with just 312,253 of its 830,504 active clients metered. Yola had actually 201,303 metered clients out of 514,122, while Kaduna had 236,844 out of 559,658.

Ibadan had the biggest client base, with 2.57 million active consumers, of whom 1.52 million had meters. Abuja had 1.43 million active clients and 1.18 million metered clients.

Eko preserved the greatest metering rate, its client base was much smaller sized, with 618,880 of its 690,408 active clients metered.

NERC categorizes circulation business with metering rates listed below 50 percent as red, those in between 50 and 69 percent as amber, and those with rates of a minimum of 70 percent as green.

Beyond reporting the figures, the commission’s factsheet detailed consumer defenses covering meter setup, approximated billing, disconnection, repair work and disagreement resolution.

Under the Meter Asset Provider plan, clients who pay upfront for meters are entitled to setup within 10 days of complete payment. The commission likewise specified that clients who spend for meters under the plan should get complete compensation through energy credits, produced monthly immediately and topped 120 months.

The factsheet included that meters provided under the Meter Acquisition Fund and the World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme are supplied at no charge to consumers.

On malfunctioning meters, NERC stated electrical energy circulation business need to fix or change a meter within 48 hours of a client reporting the fault.