NERC Reports 11.96 Million Active Users

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…“Of the total, 6.58 million NERC customers were metered, representing a metering rate of 55.01 percent, a slight increase from 54.71 percent in July”

LAGOS, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) reported that the total number of active electricity customers across all eleven Distribution Companies (DisCos) grew from 11.89 million in July to 11.96 million in August 2025.

The data was disclosed in NERC’s latest Metering Factsheet for July and August 2025, shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday.

“Of the total, 6.58 million customers were metered, representing a metering rate of 55.01 percent, a slight increase from 54.71 percent in July. In August, 70,888 customers were newly metered, compared with 76,783 in July, highlighting the ongoing metering efforts across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI),” the regulator stated.

NERC stated that the improved metering figures reflect ongoing reforms and investments by DisCos in customer management, aimed at boosting billing transparency and building consumer trust.

Eko, Ikeja, and Abuja DisCos were identified as the top performers in metering coverage nationwide. Eko DisCo achieved a metering rate of 84.25 percent, Ikeja DisCo 84.83 percent, and Abuja DisCo 73.92 percent. “These utilities continue to set performance benchmarks for other DisCos that are still striving to achieve substantial coverage within their franchise areas,” NERC added.

To fast-track the metering process, NERC recently approved N28 billion under Tranche B of the Meter Asset Financing (MAF) Scheme, allowing DisCos to purchase and install meters for unmetered Band A and Band B customers. The Commission emphasized that the funds are aimed at closing the metering gap among premium customers, ensuring accurate billing and minimizing estimated billing disputes.

Industry experts have pointed to the metering deficit, which currently affects nearly half of electricity consumers as a key challenge undermining transparency in Nigeria’s power sector. Unmetered customers are often subjected to arbitrary or estimated bills, resulting in frequent complaints and reduced revenue collection for DisCos.

Earlier, NERC reported that DisCos installed a total of 225,631 meters in the second quarter of 2025, representing a 20.55 percent increase from 187,161 meters installed in the first quarter. Of these, 147,823 units (65.52 percent) were deployed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework, 65,315 meters through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme, 12,259 meters via the Vendor Financed framework, and 234 meters under the DisCo Financed scheme.

Despite this progress, NERC noted that as of June 2025, only 6,422,933 of the 11,821,194 active registered customers in NESI had been metered.

In April, NERC fined eight DisCos, including Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ikeja Electric (IKEDC), Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), Kaduna Electric, Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) for failing to comply with the monthly energy caps on estimated billing for unmetered customers. The Commission imposed a total fine exceeding N628 million and instructed each company to provide credit adjustments to all affected customers.