The Federal Government has stepped up measures to end estimated electricity billing nationwide, with 668,000 meters installed so far under the first phase of the World Bank-backed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).
The National Council on Privatisation (NCP), which disclosed this on Wednesday, said about 60 per cent of active electricity customers across the country have now been provided with meters as efforts continue to bridge the metering deficit.
The Council noted that the ongoing metering exercise, together with programmes such as the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), is aimed at eliminating arbitrary estimated bills for registered electricity consumers across Nigeria.
The disclosure was part of updates presented at the NCP’s second meeting for 2026, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja.
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said significant progress had been recorded under Phase 1 of the $500 million World Bank-financed DISREP.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Gbeleyi said 668,000 of the 1.033 million meters delivered under the programme have so far been deployed and installed at customers’ premises.
“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 said.
The BPE chief also disclosed that the NCP reviewed the implementation of the Electricity Act, particularly the transition of electricity regulation from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to State Electricity Regulatory Commissions.
He said about 17 states had established their own electricity regulatory commissions since April 2024, with Akwa Ibom State becoming one of the latest after creating its commission in July.
Gbeleyi, however, said experience from the implementation of the Act had shown that some provisions required further refinement to ensure a smooth regulatory transition and clarify responsibilities between federal and state authorities.
“Some fine-tuning is required here and there in the implementation of that Act”, he said.
According to him, the NCP consequently directed relevant stakeholders to work together to harmonise the Federal Government’s position on amendments required to strengthen the Electricity Act.
“Council has directed that stakeholders, led by the Attorney General of the Federation, the Honourable Minister of Power, the Special Adviser on Power, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the BPE and all other critical stakeholders, should engage constructively so as to streamline and harmonise the Federal Government’s position in terms of the required amendments to fine-tune the Electricity Act, and we are engaging in that regard”, he stated.
Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, said the Council was working collaboratively to ensure that Nigerians derived tangible benefits from reforms and investments in electricity and other critical sectors.
“We are working concertedly and in a very collaborative manner to ensure that we give value, either in electricity or in telecoms, whichever area, to make sure that Nigerians benefit from this government”, Tegbe said.
He said the meeting was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who serves as Vice Chairman of the NCP; the Minister of Power; the Attorney-General of the Federation, represented by the Solicitor-General; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; as well as private-sector members of the Council.
The NCP is the Federal Government’s apex body responsible for formulating and approving policies on the privatisation and commercialisation of public enterprises, with the BPE serving as its secretariat.
