Nigeria's electricity sector is celebrating meaningful progress in its journey toward providing better service to customers nationwide. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced that Electricity Distribution Companies successfully installed an impressive 228,614 meters during the third quarter of 2025, marking continued forward momentum in the sector.

This achievement represents a steady increase of 0.73 percent compared to the previous quarter, demonstrating consistent effort and dedication to improving electricity service delivery across the country. While the percentage may seem modest, it reflects sustained commitment during a period of ongoing infrastructure development.

The metering initiative is being implemented through several innovative frameworks, each playing a vital role in expanding access. The Meter Asset Provider framework led the charge, accounting for 176,302 installations—an impressive 77 percent of the total. This approach has proven particularly effective in scaling up meter distribution across various regions.

The Vendor Financed framework contributed significantly as well, adding 44,104 new meters, while the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme brought electricity transparency to thousands more households with 7,902 installations. Additional meters were installed through the Meter Acquisition Fund and DisCo Financed frameworks, showing the diverse and collaborative approach being taken to solve the metering challenge.

As of September 2025, Nigeria has successfully metered 6.66 million customers out of 12 million active registered customers in the electricity supply industry. While there's still work to be done, this represents millions of families and businesses now enjoying the benefits of accurate billing and greater control over their electricity consumption.

The impact of prepaid metering extends far beyond simple billing. Customers with meters can monitor their electricity usage in real-time, make informed decisions about consumption, and budget more effectively for their energy needs. This transparency builds trust between service providers and consumers while promoting energy efficiency.

Recognizing that the metering journey continues, NERC has demonstrated thoughtful consumer protection by implementing monthly energy caps for all feeders in each distribution company. This safeguard ensures that unmetered customers are protected from excessive billing while waiting for their meters to be installed. The caps are carefully calculated based on actual energy received and consumption patterns of metered customers, ensuring fairness in the billing process.

This comprehensive approach shows that Nigeria's power sector is not just focused on infrastructure expansion but is equally committed to protecting consumer interests and maintaining ethical practices throughout the transition period.

The steady progress in meter installation reflects a broader positive transformation in Nigeria's electricity sector. As more customers gain access to prepaid meters, the entire system becomes more efficient, transparent, and customer-friendly. Each meter installed represents a household or business empowered with better control over their electricity service.

Looking ahead, the continued collaboration between NERC, distribution companies, and various financing frameworks promises even greater progress in bringing metered electricity to all Nigerian customers, one installation at a time.