2 years after, FG moves distribution of N700bn meters to 2027 – Daily Trust

Two years after the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed funds for the N700bn Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), the federal government has mentioned it could start distribution in 2027.

Daily Trust reviews that the PMI was permitted in November 2023 to assist tackle Nigeria’s persistent electrical energy metering challenges and it’s aimed toward decreasing the metering hole within the nation.

It additionally enhances the World Bank funded Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) that can inject 3.2 million meters into the electrical energy sector.

Even although the PMI is meant to distribute 3.8 million meters, a former minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had said that distribution would start with 1.1 million meters by December 2025 whereas two million meters yearly might be distributed over a five-year interval.

It additionally kinds half of broader efforts to increase meter deployment, enhance electricity-sector income assortment and scale back reliance on estimated billing.

According to the presidency, the challenge is past distribution of meters and it incorporates coaching of over 5,000 Nigerians on meter set up; strengthening the capability of native meter producers in step with the Nigerian First Policy, amongst others.

Similarly, the challenge is applied by a federation-owned entity, PMI-Smart Grid Development Limited (PMI-SGDL) with the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, serving as its board chairman.

The Special Adviser on Energy to the President Olu Verheijen, is the Executive Secretary whereas Obafemi Solebo serves because the Project Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Already, the coaching of 5,000 meter installers began in July and it’s being completed in batches with the third batch at the moment in coaching.

The coaching is being organised by the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) whereas the certification and compliance requirements are being overseen by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

During the coaching, AbdulRazaq was quoted to have said that the Power Force will create jobs for younger Nigerians whereas strengthening electrical energy entry in each state.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, mentioned a stronger energy sector begins with expert folks and Power Force invests in Nigerian expertise to energy the nation’s future

On her half, Verheijen mentioned metering restores belief.

“When customers pay only for what they use, revenues improve, investment follows, and service gets better. Power Force helps us scale that progress faster.”

How N700bn was disbursed

According to paperwork from FAAC, PMI-SGDL disbursed the primary tranche of funds on May 13 2024 with N120bn.

The second tranche of N100bn was disbursed on June 10 adopted by one other N100bn on July 16.

Another N100bn was disbursed on August 16, the identical quantity on September 16. Another on October 11 and the final was N80bn on November 10.

The ledger termed the receiver as State House: Smart Grid Development Limited e-collection account.

1,645,004 meters issued

Daily Trust noticed that for the reason that 2025 that the distribution was supposed to have commenced until the second quarter of 2026, Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have issued 1,645,004 meters below 5 schemes.

The schemes embody Meter Assets Providers, a scheme the place prospects who’re drained of DisCos’ estimated billing pay for his or her meters themselves, however can be refunded via electrical energy tokens. The DisCos pays again inside 10 years.

The second is the Meters Acquisition Fund (MAF), it is a scheme launched by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) by deducting metering surcharge within the allowed tariffs for all DisCos they usually present meters for particularly Band A prospects.

Next is the Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), a $500 million World Bank mortgage, aimed toward enhancing the monetary and technical efficiency of DisCos, which can be given to Band A prospects.

One of its main targets is to shut the metering hole within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) by deploying 3.2 million sensible meters.

Also, there’s the Vendor finance, the place a 3rd occasion, meter firm, pays for a meter and can be refunded by the Disco. The final is Disco financed, which is paid for by the DisCo for its prospects.

Analysis of the quantity of meters deployed throughout the interval confirmed that 892,859 meters have been distributed via the MAP, 404,993 via DISREP, 236,045 meters via MAF; 79,256 meters via vendor financed and 24,124 meters via DisCos financed.

A breakdown indicated that 36,787 meters have been distributed below MAF IN Q1 2025, whereas 148,713 meters got below MAP; 620 meters below Vendor and 1,074 below DisCos, totaling 187,194 meters throughout the quarter.

In Q2, 65,315 meters got below MAF; 149,150 meters below MAP; 12,259 below vendor financed and 234 below DisCo financed, totaling 226,958 meters throughout the quarter.

In the third quarter, 7,902 meters have been distributed below DISREP, 175 below MAF, 176,302 below MAP; 44,104 below vendor finance and 131 below DisCo financed, making 228,614 meters in whole.

In This fall, 80,651 meters have been distributed below DISREP; 22,748 below MAF; 176,180 below MAP; 20,984 below vendor financed and 4,453 below DisCo financed, totaling 305,016 meters throughout the quarter.

In Q1 2026, 118,681 meters have been issued below DISREP; 97,992 below MAF; 118,681 below MAP; 1,009 below vendor financed and 10,589 below DisCo financed, with a complete of 346,952 meters throughout the quarter.

For Q2 2026, 205,486 meters got below the DISREP; 13,028 below MAF; 123,833 below MAP; 280 below vendor financed and seven,643 below DisCos financed, totaling 350,270 meters throughout the quarter.

Nigerians pay N133.92bn for meters in 18 months

Drawing from the 892,859 meters that have been distributed throughout the interval, it may be deduced that Nigerians paid N133,928,850,000 (billion) to get meters from DisCos.

The determine was arrived at utilizing a mean of N150,000 per meter. This is due to the various value of meters with three-phase meters costing over N200,000 whereas single-phase prices up to N120,000.

While there isn’t a knowledge on which bands those that purchased meters with their cash belong to, the roll out of MAF and DISREP have been to prioritise Band A prospects, as such, it may very well be inferred that those that bought meters below MAP belongs to the decrease bands of B to E.

This confirmed that the federal government’s choice not to distribute the PMI meters comes at an important value to poor Nigerians who proceed to accuse DisCos of extortion.

Though, the newest report by NERC mentioned meter deficit has decreased to 4,704,224 in August as 8.05 million are actually metered, specialists have mentioned the determine won’t be correct as many Nigerians dwell in buildings that DisCos categorised as one buyer, whereby greater than 20 to 30 prospects dwell in such buildings.

Why Band A prospects get free meters

An official of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) who spoke with our reporter on situation of anonymity, mentioned the meters are at the moment given to band A prospects due to their significance to the monetary stability for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

He added that the meters are additionally given to outdated prospects who the corporate feels their consumption isn’t reflective of the provision given to them.

Confirming this, an electrical energy buyer in Abuja, Ibrahim Idris, mentioned he utilized for a meter in January hoping to get the meter however he’s but to obtain any.

“It has been 10 months now and I am yet to get the meter. No one has called DisCo to give me an update on my application or what alternative I should go for.”

“I am already on solar in my house, the reason why I am not desperate to go through the bribing channel to fast track it. While I know getting meters is time consuming, many people using meters I know told me they often give out bribes to receive the meters.”

“I could have gone the route of estimated billing but since I have solar, it serves the little it can power little appliances.”

Another buyer, Mohammed Saheed, mentioned when he needed to get a meter, he was requested to pay N120,000.

But for Isaac Emmanuel, he was pressured to pay N30,000 to installers earlier than the meter he purchased was put in in his house.

Speaking with Daily Trust, Kunle Kola Olubiyo, President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, mentioned the N700bn funding for electrical energy meters below the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), will go a great distance to make Nigerians maintain DisCos accountable in opposition to what he known as the opaque estimated billings.

He mentioned for the reason that fund is coming from FAAC, it offered a good distribution of meters to each state within the nation and probably the most weak Nigerians might be prioritised.

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He defined that the fund is a home initiative that runs alongside the World Bank-supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which gives an extra $500 million to procure roughly 3.2 million to 3.45 million meters.

“Have the Nigerian Government been ready to meet up the December, 2025 deadline for the deployment of the meters? I don’t assume so. Has it been prolonged? How many pre-paid Meters or Post-paid Meters have been deployed below the World Bank funded DISREP metering programme?

On his half, Energy skilled, Lanre Elatuyi, mentioned customers will proceed to face arbitrary billing, which could end in underbill or overbill.

He mentioned as soon as DisCos underbill, that implies that they can’t gather for vitality that they’ve distributed and once they overbill, customers won’t pay, as a result of they may contest it and no matter they’re given as their vitality utilization doesn’t correspond to what they really feel they used.

“So, as long as there are consumers that can’t pay up-front for the cost of metering, it is a challenge for the whole sector that is facing gross liquidity.”

He suggested the federal authorities to have interaction the general public on the standing of PMI as the present scenario appears opaque.

Distribution to begin in 2027 with 750,000 meters

While a factsheet by NERC that said that the distribution will begin in 2027 with 750,000 meters to assist shut the metering hole, efforts to get response from the Ministry of Power and PMI on the trigger of the delay was not profitable.

This reporter reached out to Spokesperson of the ministry Clemet Ezeora, a Deputy Director, who mentioned he’s new within the position and doesn’t have any data on it.

Also, media aide to the minister, Adeola Adelabu, informed our reporter that the “PMI is essentially domiciled under the Office of SA Energy (now SA Oil and Gas). They are best to address concerns around PMI.”

Also, messages and telephone calls to the Project Director, Obafemi Solebo, and three different workers members on the PMI weren’t responded.