Nigerian Government Reveals Slow Distribution of Free Prepaid Meters, Blames DisCos

The Nigerian government has revealed the distribution challenges faced in providing 200,000 free prepaid meters to citizens, attributing the slow progress to electricity distribution companies (DisCos). Despite nearly 700,000 meters already arriving, only 150,000-200,000 have been installed, significantly lagging behind the expected deployment rate.

The program, overseen by officials like Ayodeji Gbeleyi, aims to reduce the estimated 5.66 million meter gap in the country's power sector. The initiative involves a mix of international and local procurement, with a target of installing 3.2 million smart meters over four years.

Stakeholders, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Ministry of Power, are working to address challenges in meter deployment and improve operational efficiency in the electricity value chain.