The number of metered electricity consumers in Nigeria increased by 48.5 per cent between 2019 and 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics has said.
An analysis of data from the NBS, an agency of the Federal Government, showed that in 2019, the number of metered consumers nationwide was 3,976,940.
This increased to 5,907,644 in the first quarter of 2024, representing a 48.5 per cent growth over the five years.
The bureau said metered power users in Nigeria increased from 3,976,940 in 2019 to 4,138,043 in 2020; 4,773,217 in 2021; 5,125,009 in 2022; 5,605,842 in 2023; and reached 5,907,644 in the first quarter of 2024.
This represents 4.1, 15.4, 7.4, 9.4, and 5.3 per cent growths respectively. Experts note that this growth in metered consumers is a positive development for the electricity sector, as it indicates a reduction in the number of consumers on estimated billing.
The bureau however stated that estimated electricity billing increased by 11.6 per cent during the review period.