ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has announced that 668,000 electricity meters have been installed under Phase 1 of the $500 million World Bank-financed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, marking a significant step toward closing Nigeria’s longstanding metering gap .
The disclosure was made on Wednesday during the second meeting of the National Council on Privatisation for 2026, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja . Ayodeji Gbeleyi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, confirmed that the installed meters represent approximately 60 percent of the 1,033,000 meters delivered under the programme .
“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. So far, we have deployed and installed 668,000 meters on customers’ premises,” Gbeleyi stated .
The Federal Government said the metering initiative, which is being implemented alongside the Presidential Metering Initiative, is aimed at closing the electricity metering gap and eliminating arbitrary estimated billing for registered customers across the country .
The DISREP programme has been a critical component of the government’s broader strategy to address Nigeria’s estimated metering gap of more than 5.3 million, with the meters being provided free of charge to customers . The World Bank’s concessional financing of $500 million is split into two components: $250 million for Investment Project Financing covering meter procurement and technical assistance, and a Program-for-Results component to incentivise performance improvements and governance reforms .
However, the programme has faced significant challenges with slow rollout. Earlier in 2026, officials acknowledged that only about 200,000 meters had been installed despite nearly 700,000 meters having been delivered to the country . BPE officials urged Distribution Companies to intensify their deployment efforts to ensure the programme’s objectives are met .
In addition to metering, DISREP also supports network rehabilitation and infrastructure upgrades. MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited recently commenced a N3.5 billion network rehabilitation programme under DISREP, covering critical infrastructure in Enugu State, including the 9th Mile Injection Substation and the Coca-Cola 33 kV feeder line .
The Federal Government said the metering initiative would strengthen the financial sustainability of the electricity distribution sector and improve service delivery to consumers nationwide. The programme remains a key part of the administration’s efforts to enhance transparency, accountability, and consumer confidence in Nigeria’s power sector .
