TheCable

Data made available by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) shows that electricity distribution companies distributed 22,825 meters to consumers in the fourth quarter of 2019.

On a quarter on quarter basis, this is 72.76% less than the 83,768 distributed in the third quarter of 2019.

According to the newly released 2019 fourth-quarter report, only 3.9 million of the registered 10.3 million subscribers have prepaid meters.

In the third-quarter report released in March, the commission had put the number of registered customers on estimated billing at 59.74%; a figure that increased to 62.37% by the fourth quarter.

However, the number of registered consumers increased from 9,674,729 to 10,374,597; representing a 6.75 percent increase.

The regulator said the huge metering gap has contributed to customer apathy towards payment for electricity bills.

“The commission notes with concern that the additional 22,825 end-use customers’ meters installed during the fourth quarter fell significantly from the 83,768 meters installed during the third quarter,” the report read.

“The increase in registered customer population was due to the on-going customer enumeration exercise by DisCos through which unregistered consumers of electricity were brought unto the DisCos’ billing platform.

“A review of the customer population data indicates that only Abuja and Benin DisCos had metered more than 50% of their registered electricity customers as at the end of December 2019.”

In 2018, the NERC introduced the MAP regulation to new investors in the power sector to fast-track the roll-out of meters through the engagement of third-party investors and end the estimated billing regime.

In 2019, the commission issued permits to meter asset providers to begin the rollout of new prepaid meters by May 1 and 26 contractors have been approved under the program as of December 31, 2019.

In February, the NERC issued an order to cap estimated billing by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to unmetered customers.

The order, it said, would protect customers from unrealistic billing until a prepaid meter is installed by the DisCos.

The NERC and the ministry of power have also set a target to close the metering gap by December 2021.