Nigeria's Metering Under World Bank Scheme Reaches 22.8%

Nigeria has installed 731,034 electricity meters under the World Bank-backed $500 million Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), achieving only 22.8% of its target of 3.2 million meters. The latest report indicates that meter installations rose from 379,380 in March to 731,034 by September, leaving approximately 2.47 million meters to be installed by December 2027.

DISREP, which aims to improve the financial and operational performance of Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos), was approved by the World Bank on February 4, 2021, and became effective on February 2, 2023. The programme's closing date was revised to May 30, 2028, with December 2027 set as the target for critical performance indicators.

As of now, only $94.44 million of the total financing has been disbursed, while over $396.03 million remains undisbursed. The initiative has also faced challenges in new electricity connections and infrastructure rehabilitation, with significant shortfalls reported.