The number of Nigerians officially registered as active electricity users has climbed to a new high, according to the latest data from the industry regulator. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced that the national count of active electricity customers rose from 11.89 million in July to 11.96 million in August 2025.
This information was officially released by the Commission on a Monday via its social media channels, detailed in the Metering Factsheet for July and August 2025. The growth in customer numbers was recorded across all 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) operating in the country.
Metering Progress and Top Performers
Out of the total 11.96 million customers, NERC reported that 6.58 million were metered. This translates to a national metering rate of 55.01%, showing a slight improvement from the 54.71% recorded in the previous month of July.
The report highlighted that a total of 70,888 customers were newly metered in August. While this figure is lower than the 76,783 meters installed in July, it underscores the continuous metering efforts within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
NERC attributed these improved figures to ongoing reforms and investments by the DisCos in customer management, which are aimed at boosting billing transparency and fostering consumer trust.
When it comes to performance, three DisCos stood out for their high metering coverage. Ikeja DisCo led the pack with a rate of 84.83%, closely followed by Eko DisCo at 84.25%. Abuja DisCo also performed well, achieving a metering rate of 73.92%.
Regulatory Enforcement and Quarterly Installations
The push for improved service and accountability has been backed by regulatory action. In a move from April of the same year, NERC penalized eight DisCos for failing to comply with the monthly energy caps set for estimated billing of unmetered customers.
The affected companies were the distribution firms for Abuja, Ikeja, Eko, Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola. The Commission imposed a combined fine of over ₦628 million on these eight DisCos. In addition to the financial penalty, NERC directed each company to provide credit adjustments to all customers who were affected by the overbilling.
Looking at a broader timeframe, NERC's report for the second quarter of 2025 showed a significant acceleration in meter installations. DisCos installed a total of 225,631 meters in Q2 2025, marking a substantial 20.55% increase compared to the 187,161 meters installed in the first quarter of the year.
The breakdown of these installations reveals the dominant frameworks used:
- 147,823 units (65.52%) were deployed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
- 65,315 meters were installed via the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) program.
- The Vendor Financed framework accounted for 12,259 meters.
- A smaller number, 234 meters, were installed under the DisCo Financed scheme.
