The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr Ayodeji Gbeleyi, has reaffirmed that electricity meters being deployed under the World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) are completely free, including installation, warning Nigerians not to pay any money to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) or their agents.
He gave the assurance in Abuja during a stakeholders’ media briefing on the supply and installation of smart meters under DISREP.
Dr. Gbeleyi explained that the $500 million DISREP initiative is designed to close Nigeria’s metering gap and eliminate estimated billing across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
“There have been a few controversies, so to speak, back and forth with regard to payment for these meters. So, the essence of this media briefing is to clarify all the grey areas as they may be and educate the public in terms of the fine details and the modus operandi of the deployment of these meters under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme. And as you can see, all the stakeholders are here.
“And this is a major policy initiative of Mr President in terms of ensuring that we have access to a reliable supply of power in the industry. Clearly, we cannot have power if we’re not paying for that power. So, as we consume, we’re also expected to pay, because this will also help in terms of industry sustainability, liquidity, bankability, and ability to attract media financing to complement government efforts and investors’ efforts in financing the required projects,” he said.
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Dr. Gbeleyi urged electricity consumers to resist and report any DisCo or installer demanding payment, describing such acts as extortion.
Under the DISREP Investment Project Financing component, $250 million is being used to support the bulk procurement of 3.2 million smart meters, while another $250 million is allocated to a results-based financing programme.
He disclosed that over 182,000 meters have already been installed nationwide, stressing that the meters are primarily for unmetered customers, though DisCos have been permitted to deploy 20 per cent of the supply to replace faulty or expired meters.
Responding to questions on the status of the meters, the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Musliu Oseni, confirmed that the government had fully absorbed the cost of the meters through the World Bank facility.
“The government has taken responsibility to borrow money and provide these meters. DisCos have been instructed not to charge customers. Anyone asking for money should be reported to the utility or NERC,” Oseni stated.
He explained that while customers ordinarily pay for meters procured directly by operators, DISREP meters are an exception because the Federal Government is funding them.
“Most of the extortion cases occur between installers or field staff and customers. This is not a management decision,” he added.
Providing industry statistics, the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Abdulaziz Sule, said Nigeria’s metering gap has reduced from about 10 million to roughly 5 million.
He revealed that the Federal Government has met 75 per cent of DISREP requirements, with about 30 per cent of the meters already delivered into the country.
Also speaking, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Dr. Peter Asuben, said the agency tested 576,208 meters as of December 2025, and an additional 18,716 meters in January 2026.
Representing the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Dr. Adedayo Olowoniyi said DISREP was introduced to strengthen electricity distribution and improve service delivery.
“This administration is committed to closing the metering gap in Nigeria,” he said.
DisCos at the meeting, including Abuja, Eko, Ibadan, Kaduna, and Yola, pledged their support for the initiative.
Managing Directors of Abuja and Eko DisCos denied institutional involvement in extortion, describing offenders as a few bad actors and assuring customers of ongoing sensitisation campaigns.
The Nigerian Government reiterated that DISREP is a critical reform programme aimed at improving transparency, boosting revenue collection, enhancing service delivery, and building a financially sustainable electricity distribution sector.
Nigerians were again advised to report any demand for payment for DISREP meters or installation to NERC for immediate action.