Nigeria: Nigeria's Metered Customers Rise By 111,654 to 7.44 Million in One Month

What the report says

Nigeria added 111,654 metered electricity customers in April 2026, bringing the total to 7,435,733, according to data cited by This Day from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. The report said the national metering rate rose modestly from 59.13% in March to 59.69% in April, showing gradual progress in reducing the country’s long-running metering shortfall.

The improvement, however, was partly offset by growth in the active customer base. NERC data indicated that active electricity customers increased by 70,220 in the same month, to 12,457,068, leaving 5,021,335 customers without meters. That means the gap narrowed, but not as quickly as the rise in metered accounts alone might suggest.

Performance among the 11 distribution companies remained uneven. Eko, Ikeja and Abuja recorded the highest metering rates, while Yola, Jos and Kano remained among the lowest. Ibadan added the most newly metered customers in April and also posted the biggest reduction in its unmetered customer base, while Enugu saw its gap widen. The report said the slower pace of metering in April compared with March highlights the challenge facing distributors: meter deployment must outpace customer growth if Nigeria is to close the deficit more quickly. This broader issue has long been a focus in Nigeria’s power sector, where metering is important for billing accuracy, revenue collection and consumer trust.