Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission Reports Improvement in Metering
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced a modest enhancement in the electricity metering landscape across the country. Despite the addition of 109,556 new metered customers in December 2025, substantial gaps persist in the system.
Metered Customers See Increment
According to NERC’s latest Electricity Distribution Company Metering Status Fact Sheet for November and December 2025, the total number of metered customers rose from 6,857,028 in November to 6,966,584 in December. This increase indicates a positive trend, albeit a gradual one.
Active Customer Base Expands
In tandem with the uptick in metered customers, the total number of active power customers registered a slight rise, moving from 12,128,611 in November to 12,163,412 in December. This growth in the customer base underscores ongoing advancements within the sector, as reported on Wednesday.
Minor Improvements in Metering Rates
Despite these advancements, the overall meter rates improved only marginally, from 56.54 percent in November to 57.27 percent in December. This slow progress highlights the ongoing disparities in metering rates among various distribution companies (DisCos).
Differentiated Performance Among DisCos
Analysis of the data reveals significant performance variability among DisCos. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company continued to lead the pack, achieving a metering rate of 77.81 percent in December, an increase from 76.71 percent in November. Similarly, Ikeja and Eko DisCos reported impressive rates of 86.40 percent and 85.87 percent, respectively, showing steady improvement.
Lagging DisCos Struggle with Metering Rates
On the other hand, certain DisCos remain notably behind. The Jos DisCo recorded one of the lowest metering rates in December at 31.43 percent, an improvement from November’s 29.79 percent. Yola DisCo exhibited the poorest performance, with a rate of 30.80 percent, slightly up from 29.91 percent the previous month. DisCos in Kaduna and Kano also reported low figures, with Kaduna increasing from 33.95 percent in November to 34.42 percent in December.
Variability in New Installations Across DisCos
The report also emphasized discrepancies in the number of new installations among DisCos. Abuja led with 19,953 new meters installed, followed by Benin with 17,928, and Port Harcourt with 17,471. In contrast, Enugu experienced a significant drop, with only 1,538 new installations in December, a sharp decline from 6,988 in November.
Overall, while the addition of over 100,000 meters within a month demonstrates continued efforts to bridge the metering gap, the data reveal that progress remains slow and uneven across Nigeria’s electricity sector. NERC statistics indicate that over 5.1 million customers still lack meters, with estimated billing practices persisting and raising concerns about transparency, revenue security, and consumer protection.
