—17 states now operating independent electricity regulatory commissions
By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Federal Government has announced that Nigeria has successfully metered approximately 60% of active electricity customers nationwide.
This, according to the government, signals significant progress toward eliminating the decades-old scourge of arbitrary estimated billing.
This milestone was disclosed on Wednesday during the second meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) for 2026, chaired by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, provided detailed updates on the metering drive, revealing that under Phase 1 of the $500 million World Bank-financed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), substantial progress has been achieved.
“On various issues, we provided updates on meter deployment under Phase 1 of the World Bank-financed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme. We have implemented 60 percent of the meters that have been delivered in the country out of 1,033,000,” Gbeleyi stated.
“So far, we have deployed and installed 668,000 meters on customers’ premises,” he added.
The rollout is being executed through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) and coordinated by the BPE, with the ultimate goal of closing the metering gap entirely and ensuring that registered customers across Nigeria are no longer subjected to estimated billings.
In a related development, the NCP also addressed implementation challenges surrounding the Electricity Act, particularly regarding the transition from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to State Electricity Regulatory Commissions.
Gbeleyi noted that since April 2024, approximately 17 states have established their own electricity regulatory commissions, with Akwa Ibom State being the latest to do so in July this year.
However, he acknowledged that “some fine-tuning is required here and there in the implementation of that Act.”
To address this, the Council has directed key stakeholders to engage constructively on necessary amendments. The team will be led by the Attorney General of the Federation, alongside the Honourable Minister of Power, the Special Adviser on Power, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, NERC, BPE, and other critical stakeholders.
“We are engaging in that regard,” Gbeleyi confirmed.
Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, who was also in attendance, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to ensuring Nigerians derive tangible value from the power sector and other critical areas of the economy.
“We are working concertedly and in a very collaborative manner to ensure that we give value, either in electricity or in telecoms—whichever area—to make sure that Nigerians benefit from this government,” Tegbe stated.
The meeting had in attendance key officials including the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy (who serves as Vice Chair of the Council), the Minister of Power, the Solicitor General representing the Attorney General, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as private sector members of the Council.
For millions of electricity consumers, the 60% metering achievement represents a significant step toward transparent billing and fair tariffs.
The elimination of estimated billing, long a source of friction between consumers and distribution companies, remains a top priority as the government pushes toward 100% coverage under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
With 668,000 meters already installed and over a million targeted under DISREP Phase 1 alone, the government is optimistic that the remaining gap will be closed progressively, ensuring that every registered customer pays only for what they actually consume.
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