FG Plans to Distribute Over Six Million Meters for Free, Gives Timeline to Begin Implementation

• FG will begin the full rollout of free electricity meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative by Q4 2025, aiming to provide over six million meters to end users
• The initiative will be financed by a combination of the Federation Account, the Meter Asset Fund, and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, with a focus on high-consumption area
• The PMI is part of President Bola Tinubu's broader energy reforms to address billing inefficiencies and improve the financial viability of the power sector

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

In an attempt to bridge Nigeria's long-standing metering gap and boost power sector efficiency, the Federal Government has stated that it will begin the full rollout of free electricity meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative by the fourth quarter of 2025.

A representative of Eriye Onagoruwa, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, provided an update on the PMI during the second day of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry Stakeholders Meeting on Tuesday in Lagos. He stated that the initiative aims to provide more than six million free electricity meters to end users.

Onagoruwa explained that the meters will be financed by a combination of the Federation Account, the Meter Asset Fund, and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme.

Since Band A customers usually receive the maximum hours of energy supply, she added, the PMI is concentrating on installing meters in high-consumption areas initially.

“Key to our success is streamlining the installer certification process, strengthening communication infrastructure, and ensuring implementation readiness across all stakeholders,” she said, according to a post on the official X handle of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

According to her, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and the energy distribution corporations are strategically coordinating to advance the programme.

“Over six million meters are planned from multiple sources, including DISREP, the Federation Account, and the Meter Asset Fund. Key priorities include 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,” she added.

The absence of comprehensive metering has long damaged the transparency and financial viability of the power system, with millions of electricity consumers remaining on estimated billing.

The government expects to receive roughly 75,000 meters under the International Competitive Bid 1 by April 2025, with a second batch of 200,000 meters to follow in May 2025, according to statements made earlier this year by Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the electricity minister.

Accelerated metering, according to the stakeholders at the meeting, will help DisCos ensure more income while also restoring consumer trust.

Unveiled in 2023, the PMI is a key component of President Bola Tinubu's larger energy reforms, which aim to solve structural inefficiencies in the billing and supply of electricity.

Chika Uzezi said,

"They keep saying they are distributing free metres yet, citizens complain they are unable to access it. this is why we need more regulation in the electricity indutry."

DisCo bars electricity customers from recharging old metres

Legit.ng reported that Ikeja Electric has announced that it will no longer support the Unister card metre and other obsolete card metres under the Federal Government Metre Acquisition Fund (MAF) initiative.

The company disclosed this in a public notice on Sunday, February 2, 2025, warning its customers that its technology may no longer support the Unistar card metre and other outdated metres.

According to the electricity company, all eligible Band A customers will get a complimentary metre replacement under the Federal Government/NERC MAF initiative.

Source: Legit.ng