By Ejekwu Chidiebere
…Says N20bn out of N25bn paid by 2.5 million customers under MAP metering has already been refunded, with 2.1 million customers benefiting from energy credit refunds
“Maybe this time it will work but it is still all about if there would be no sabotage even from government itself, and the distribution companies.”
Energy Window International (Media) – NERC Commissioner for Corporate Services, Mr. Nathan Shatti said this while delivering a paper with the theme, “Metering Challenges in Nigeria and Government Interventions”, focusing on how best to use the opportunity of the ongoing initiatives to close the national metering gap, promote transparent billing aimed at eliminating the cankerworm of estimated electricity billing.
He disclosed that under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), the Federal Government provided ₦700 billion to deliver 2.5 million prepaid meters and distribution transformer meters. A procurement process according to him has been ongoing with 42 Local Meter Manufacturers and Assemblers (LMMA) to supply and install 750,000 meters within 15 months. The PMI also includes plans to train 5,000 meter installers in collaboration with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN). He also highlighted the World Bank–financed Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), under which 3.2 million meters are planned for deployment. So far, 645,000 meters have been delivered to DisCos, with 117,861 already installed.
Energy Window International (Media) gathered that Nathan Shatti also discussed the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) established by NERC in 2023: Tranche A: ₦21 billion was disbursed in May 2025 for 143,929 meters, with 115,141 installed across 11 DisCos. Tranche B: ₦25 billion was disbursed in September 2025 for 184,609 meters, with 98,328 installed as of January 2026.
On the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, Mr. Shatti explained that customers preferring immediate metering and wouldn’t want to wait to get meters through the ongoing FGN/World Bank/NERC interventions, can still purchase meters upfront and receive refunds through energy credits. He revealed that of the ₦25 billion paid by 2.5 million customers under MAP metering, ₦20 billion has already been refunded, with 2.1 million customers benefiting from energy credit refunds.