Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Nigeria has put in simply 731,034 electrical energy meters underneath the World Bank-backed $500 million Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), representing 22.8 per cent of its 3.2 million-meter goal, as the initiative faces mounting stress to satisfy its efficiency milestones earlier than the top of 2027.
The newest implementation standing and outcomes report of the World Bank, seen by THISDAY, confirmed that meter installations elevated from 379,380 in March 2026 to 731,034 by September, leaving roughly 2.47 million units to be put in inside about 15 months to satisfy the December 2027 goal.
DISREP is a $500 million World Bank-funded initiative designed to show round Nigeria’s energy sector by enhancing the monetary and operational efficiency of Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos).
It focuses on lowering large technical and industrial losses, upgrading grid infrastructure, and restoring market stability by intensive sensible metering, localised information administration, and strict power accounting.
The programme, backed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) mortgage, was authorised by the World Bank on February 4, 2021, and have become efficient on February 2, 2023. Although initially scheduled to shut on June 30, 2026, its deadline was subsequently revised to May 30, 2028, whereas December 2027 stays the goal date for a number of important efficiency indicators.
The report confirmed that solely $94.44 million of the whole financing had been disbursed, representing 18.89 per cent of the mortgage, whereas over $396.03 million remained undisbursed. THISDAY learnt that native meter producers had gone to courtroom to problem elements of the initiative, a case that was not too long ago resolved by the federal authorities.
But past metering, the programme has additionally recorded important shortfalls in new electrical energy connections, distribution community rehabilitation, buyer mapping and the deployment of administration data techniques.
Under the electrical energy entry element, 804,137 folks had gained direct entry to electrical energy by new connections as of September 2026, towards a goal of three.936 million by December 2027. This represented roughly 20.4 per cent of the goal, leaving greater than 3.1 million further connections to be delivered inside the remaining implementation interval.
A THISDAY evaluation of the World Bank information, indicated that of the beneficiaries recorded, 402,068 had been girls, in contrast with a goal of 1.968 million, whereas 152,786 had been younger folks, towards a goal of 747,840.
Besides, efficiency within the rehabilitation of distribution infrastructure has fallen significantly under expectations. The report put the size of medium- and low-voltage distribution strains rehabilitated or upgraded at 2,477 kilometres, towards a goal of 15,000 kilometres.
This represents roughly 16.5 per cent of the goal, leaving greater than 12,500 kilometres of distribution strains to be rehabilitated or upgraded.
The deployment of administration data techniques, one other element designed to strengthen the operational and industrial efficiency of the distribution firms, has additionally been gradual.
Only eight techniques had been carried out towards a goal of 44 by December 2027, representing about 18.2 per cent completion. In the identical vein, buyer mapping for geographic data techniques had reached 3,025,690 clients towards a goal of 12,994,042, or roughly 23.3 per cent.
The World Bank indicated that the shopper mapping and administration data techniques figures had not modified since January 2026 as a result of up to date information from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was not but out there.
The programme additionally faces challenges in establishing a few of the institutional and operational mechanisms required to maintain enhancements within the electrical energy distribution sector.
For occasion, the operation of meter information administration techniques throughout the distribution firms remained unachieved towards a goal of getting the techniques operational by December 2027.
Similarly, the annual publication of audited monetary statements by distribution firms remained unachieved, whereas the event of NERC steerage for investments in climate-resilient infrastructure had but to be accomplished, the information confirmed.
Billing effectivity was reported at 79.24 per cent within the newest outcomes, in contrast with a baseline of 79.20 per cent recorded in December 2023 and a goal of 85 per cent by December 2027.
The programme’s semi-annual assortment of billed electrical energy stood at 75.56 per cent, under its goal of 88 per cent. The indicator measures the proportion of billed electrical energy income collected and is central to enhancing the monetary sustainability of distribution firms.
Weaknesses in metering, billing and income assortment have lengthy contributed to the monetary difficulties confronting Nigeria’s electrical energy distribution trade. The DISREP intervention is meant to deal with these issues.
Despite the implementation gaps, the World Bank maintained its rankings for progress in direction of reaching the programme’s growth goal and general implementation progress at ‘Moderately Satisfactory’.
The lender mentioned implementation had continued throughout the reporting interval, with sensible meter deployment accelerating considerably and procurement actions for further meters and meter information administration techniques advancing.
It additionally reported enhancements underneath the programme’s results-based financing element following the switch of advance proceeds to taking part distribution firms and the approval of feeder-level funding plans.
The report additionally disclosed that discussions had been persevering with on a attainable restructuring of the programme to align it with Nigeria’s present electrical energy sector coverage framework and enhance the prospects of reaching its growth goals.
Priority areas embody accelerating community rehabilitation, advancing buyer enumeration and strengthening the verification of outcomes linked to disbursements.
The report additionally indicated that the programme’s general danger score remained ‘substantial’, whereas institutional capability for implementation and sustainability was rated ‘high’, reflecting considerations concerning the potential to execute and maintain the deliberate interventions.
