Victor Ezeja
In its quest to close the metering gap in Nigeria, the Federal Government has disclosed plans to roll out over six million meters to end users at no cost, latest by the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI).
Eriye Onagoruwa, Representative of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, stated this on Monday, during a presentation at the second Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Stakeholders Meeting of 2025, organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Join our WhatsApp ChannelA statement by NERC quoted Onagoruwa saying that the Federal Government plans to finance the acquisition of meters from multiple sources, including the Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), the Federation Account, and the Meter Asset Fund (MAF).
According to the statement, key priorities project includes streamlining installer certification, deploying meters to high-consumption areas (starting with Band A customers), and ensuring robust communication infrastructure.
“Full rollout is targeted for Q4 2025, with ongoing coordination among DisCos, BPE, and NAPTIN to ensure implementation readiness,” it stated.
Onagoruwa also confirmed moves by the Presidency to clear N2 trillion debt owed to electricityGeneration Companies (GenCos).
READ ALSO: Electricity: NERC Tasks DisCos On Bridging Metering Gap, Warns Against Estimate Billing
According to her, the presidency recognises the urgency of addressing the debt, which has strained GenCos and impeded electricity supply nationwide.
While assuring that it will be done before the end of the third quarter of 2025, she revealed that alternative debt instruments are being explored due to the Federal Government’s current fiscal constraints.
READ ALSO: Publish Details Of Meter Purchase Refunds To Customers, NERC Orders DisCos
While noting that the Presidency is empathetic to the challenges GenCos are facing, she said: “We are exploring alternative debt instruments, and I can confirm that both the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Debt Management Office are aligned with this effort. Internal approvals are currently underway.”
Prime Business Africa had reported that GenCos had issued a warning to the Federal Government over the unpaid N4 trillion debt.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had in April also stated that the Federal Government was committed to clearing 50 per cent of the N4 trillion legacy debt before the end of the year.
Stakeholders in the nation’s electricity sector have cautioned that in order to prevent the sector’s impending collapse, the federal government needed to act urgently to address the challenges.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
