Nigeria’s drive to bridge its electricity metering gap has received a significant boost after the Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria (AMMON) withdrew its lawsuit against the Federal Government, ending months of legal uncertainty that stalled the procurement of 1.55 million smart meters.
The withdrawal, filed through a Notice of Discontinuance at the Federal High Court in Kano, followed the intervention of the Minister of Power and a series of high-level engagements involving AMMON and key government agencies.
The legal dispute had led to an injunction in April 2026, effectively halting bidding processes under several government-backed metering programmes, including the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), the third phase of the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF 3), and the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI).
With the case now discontinued, procurement under the programmes is expected to resume, paving the way for the deployment of more than 1.55 million smart meters to electricity consumers across the country.
According to the Ministry of Power Joseph Tegbe , the resolution was reached through dialogue, with the Federal Government working alongside agencies such as the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to address the concerns of local meter manufacturers while ensuring compliance with both local and international procurement standards.
The agreement is expected to accelerate efforts to close Nigeria’s metering gap, reduce the widespread use of estimated billing, improve revenue collection by electricity distribution companies, and strengthen confidence in ongoing reforms within the power sector.
The ministry said the resolution reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting local industrial participation while maintaining access to the financing required to modernise the country’s electricity infrastructure.
For millions of electricity consumers who have long complained about estimated billing, the development offers renewed hope that the rollout of smart meters will gather momentum and improve transparency in electricity billing nationwide.