- Nigeria’s metered electricity consumers increased by 48.5% over five years, reaching 5,907,644 by Q1 2024, though estimated billing still affects over 6.4 million consumers.
- Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has vowed to eliminate estimated billing by the end of 2024, addressing the persistent issues of billing accuracy and transparency.
Nigeria has achieved a significant milestone in its electricity metering efforts, with the number of metered consumers increasing by 48.5% from 2019 to early 2024. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number of metered electricity consumers rose from 3,976,940 in 2019 to 5,907,644 by the first quarter of 2024.
This growth reflects a steady expansion in metering over the past five years, with annual increases of 4.1% in 2020, 15.4% in 2021, 7.4% in 2022, 9.4% in 2023, and 5.3% in early 2024. Experts view this progress in metering positively, indicating a reduction in the reliance on estimated billing, a practice criticised for its lack of transparency and fairness.
However, the NBS data also reveals a 11.6% rise in consumers who are subjected to estimated billing during the same period. The estimated billing base increased from 5,758,026 in 2019 to 6,426,355 by Q1 2024.
Despite fluctuations, including a peak of 6,227,870 in 2020 and a decrease to 5,741,365 in 2021, the persistence of estimated billing highlights ongoing challenges in the electricity sector. Disparities among electricity distribution companies (DisCos) further underscore the issue.
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company recorded the highest number of estimated billings at 1,411,102, while Eko Electricity Distribution Company had the lowest at 255,271. Other DisCos reported significant numbers of unmetered customers, including Abuja (564,727), Benin (688,081), Enugu (765,662), Ikeja (219,632), Jos (495,449), Kaduna (639,395), Kano (465,048), Port Harcourt (231,384), and Yola (690,604).
Addressing these challenges, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has committed to resolving the issue of estimated billing by the end of 2024. During a recent visit to power facilities in Ibadan, Adelabu emphasised the importance of collaboration with stakeholders to tackle the sector’s challenges, particularly the metering gap.
Approximately 50% of consumers remain unmetered, contributing to billing accuracy and fairness issues. Adelabu promised to eliminate estimated billing by year-end to ensure a more transparent and objective billing system. This pledge is critical to improving consumer trust and satisfaction in Nigeria’s electricity sector.