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FG to receive first batch of 3.2m meters in April
The federal government has announced a step in its plan to bridge Nigeria’s electricity metering gap, with the first batch of 3.2 million meters set for delivery starting April 2025. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure accurate billing, reduce revenue losses, and improve power sector efficiency.
According to a statement by Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on strategic communications and media relations to Adebayo Adelabu, the minister of power, the first consignment of 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 (ICB1) will arrive in April 2025, followed by an additional 200,000 meters in May.
The statement comes in response to recent media reports portraying Nigeria’s electricity sector as being in crisis due to persistent metering shortages.
Tunji emphasised that while challenges remain, significant progress has been made, with over 5.5 million customers—about 55 percent of the 10.1 million active electricity users—already metered as of December 2024.
Despite concerns over the pace of metering, the government highlighted that an average of 668,000 meters are installed annually. In 2024 alone, 572,050 new meters were deployed.
Tunji acknowledged the existing gap but stressed that structured financing and government-backed programs are set to accelerate progress.
“The narrative that Nigeria’s metering gap will take over a decade to resolve is misleading,” Tunji stated. “With the current interventions, we expect significant improvements before the end of the year.”
To fast-track meter deployment, the Federal Government has launched two major programs:
Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP)
DISREP aims to deliver 3,205,101 meters by 2026 through three procurement models: 1,437,501 meters via ICB1, 217,600 via NCB, and 1,550,000 via ICB2. The first batch of 75,000 meters (ICB1) arrives in April, followed by 200,000 more in May.
Funded by FAAC, PMI targets two million meters yearly for five years. An SPV will oversee implementation, with the tender for the first two million meters expected by Q3 2025.
The current metering gap has long been a pain point for both electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and consumers, with many households and businesses still on estimated billing. The lack of meters has contributed to revenue losses for DisCos and dissatisfaction among customers who dispute inflated bills.
The government’s latest interventions aim to eliminate these inefficiencies by ensuring widespread meter deployment. Tunji noted that the DISREP and PMI programs are designed to provide a sustainable solution rather than a temporary fix.
While the plans have been welcomed, industry observers emphasize the need for timely execution. Past metering initiatives, such as the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, faced delays due to funding and logistical constraints.
However, the government assures that the current financing structure—particularly the ₦700 billion PMI—will prevent such setbacks. “These are well-structured plans with secured funding,” Tunji said. “The focus should be on execution rather than undue criticism.”
For millions of unmetered electricity users, the accelerated deployment promises relief from arbitrary billing. Once installed, the new meters will enable accurate consumption tracking, reduce disputes, and improve overall power sector transparency.
As the first batch of meters arrives in April, all eyes will be on the government and DisCos to ensure seamless distribution and installation. If successful, Nigeria could see a dramatic reduction in its metering gap within the next few years—a critical step toward a more efficient and customer-friendly electricity market.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has revealed that there is relative stability in the State, but that the State is still fragile.
The Sole Administrator revealed this in Abuja on Friday when appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Rivers State.
The Committee had invited the Sole Administrator for a proper briefing on developments in Rivers State, following the suspension of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking when he appeared before the ad-hoc committee, Ibas requested for more time to properly brief the committee on developments in the State.
Ibas, apologisesd for his inability to attend earlier engagements, explained that the absence was not out of disregard, but rather due to the weighty and urgent demands of stabilising governance in Rivers.
“I have always held the National Assembly in the highest regard. I recognise the importance of your oversight responsibilities and your interest in the progress being made in Rivers, which is presently relatively calm, but still fragile,” Ibas said.
He went further to say: “That said, I only request your understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing.
“Given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers. It is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work.
“I only request the understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers.
“It is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing newsmen after a close door meeting, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) said that the committee resolved to give a new date to the sole administrator.
Ihonvbere, underscored the constitutional role of the National Assembly in legitimising and overseeing the state of emergency declared in Rivers.
According to the chairman, the federal legislature remains central to the state’s transitional process.
Ihonvbere reaffirmed the committee’s constitutional mandate and expressed satisfaction that the administrator had finally honored the invitation after earlier delays.
He emphasised that the committee’s mandate was rooted in constitutional authority and that some of its terms had already been communicated to the administrator in an earlier letter.
The chairman encouraged the administrator to feel at ease, stressing that the committee members had been carefully selected to ensure broad representation across geopolitical zones and legislative experience.
“I want you to feel relaxed because the members you see here were carefully selected based on zonal representation and membership of the House to advance the progress that Rivers needs to make in order to be part and parcel of the holistic structure of democracy that Nigeria represents today.
“We have demonstrated again and again our preparedness to do this job efficiently and effectively,” he assured.
The Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, (KUIMCA) has explained the reasons behind the disruption in the service mobile Telecom giant, MTN in the state, pointing out that MTN owing to non compliance.
The Telecom service has been experiencing a service distruption in the last two weeks and witnessed total shut down in the last one week.
The Director General of KUIMCA Director General, Dr Taofeeq Isah while speaking with journalists on Friday in Lokoja attributed the shut down to the failure of the Telecom company to comply fully with rules of operation as stipulated in the official gazette guiding their operation in the state.
“In my assumption of office last August, I went through their files and discovered that they have not fully complied with the rules guiding their operations in the state. I called them for a discussion where they complained of being overbilled concerning the area of the state covered by their optic fibre.
” I went with them for verification exercise to assess their claim which took about 4 days and we found out they were even covering more areas than they claimed.
“We asked they to go and make the necessary payment but MTN refused. That is why we sealed off their facilities after obtaining court order to do so so”.
The Director General called on the citizens of the state to be patient with them since their interest was being protected .
He said that since MTN is not the only network operating in the state, citizens as well as the security agencies to consider switching to other networks considering their importance in securing the lives and property of Citizens which should not be compromised under any circumstance.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman, Kogi State Internal Revenue Service , Salihu Enehe said that MTN has arrogated to itself so much power that they have been refusing to respond to so many entrities asking for complainces on various termes of operations in the state.
The Chairman who was represented by a Director in the agency Hassana Salawu noted that
MTN has been indulging in violation of various rules not only the optic fibre right of way across the state but also and have violated every rules guiding their operations in the state.
“MTN claimed to have 48 optic fibres when audit revealed they have 199 fibres laid under the ground in the state. We have called for reconciliation meetings severally but they claimed not to be ready up till now”.
But in a swift reaction, the MTN spokesperson in the State, though will not want his name in print, confirmed that negotiations is on going, assured that the issues will soon be resolved.
By Gloria Ikibah
Eight out of the nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members representing Osun State in the House of Representatives have firmly restated their loyalty to the party and Governor Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, distancing themselves from recent defection claims.
Their stance follows public comments by Rep. Busayo Oluwole Oke, who recently exited the PDP and hinted that other members of the Osun caucus were poised to follow his lead.
In a joint statement released in Abuja on Friday, the lawmakers which include Reps Bamidele Salam, Ajilesoro Abimbola Taofeek, Mudashiru Lukman Alani, Akanni Clement Ademola, Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya, Adewale Moruf Adebayo, Adetunji Abidemi Olusoji, and Oladebo Lanre Omoleye—made it clear they remain committed to the PDP and its leadership in the state.
They described Oke’s exit as unsurprising, pointing to what they called his long-standing pattern of defiance, public criticism of the party, and antagonism towards the Adeleke-led government.
The lawmakers labelled his defection as an act of ingratitude, given the political opportunities the PDP had afforded him over the years, and cautioned him against spreading misleading narratives aimed at courting favour within his new political camp.
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