The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a financing package to Beacon Power Services (BPS) to accelerate smart metering and digital energy solutions in Nigeria, in a move expected to improve electricity distribution, billing accuracy and revenue collection.
The financing will support BPS’s collaboration with Nigerian electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to deploy smart metering systems, grid management software and meter data management solutions aimed at strengthening operational efficiency across the power sector.
BPS, an African energy technology company specialising in smart grid solutions, network visibility and utility digitisation, provides software, analytics and metering technologies to help electricity utilities improve performance, reduce commercial and technical losses, and enhance service delivery.
Under the initiative, the company’s digital technologies are expected to provide electricity distribution companies with better visibility into their networks, improve the accuracy of customer billing and strengthen revenue collection.
The solutions are also expected to give electricity consumers improved access to information about their energy consumption and bills through digital platforms, potentially enhancing transparency and customer engagement.
The EBRD’s investment is expected to support Nigeria’s ongoing electricity sector reforms by demonstrating how digital technologies can address persistent challenges in power distribution and improve the financial sustainability of electricity utilities.
Wider adoption of smart metering and grid digitalisation could help distribution companies manage electricity networks more effectively, identify losses and improve the relationship between energy supplied, consumption recorded and revenue collected.
The initiative comes amid continuing efforts to strengthen the operational and financial performance of Nigeria’s electricity industry, where distribution inefficiencies and revenue collection challenges remain important concerns.
Beyond its energy sector objectives, BPS has committed to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles and will introduce measures to expand opportunities for women in technical and leadership positions within the company.
The commitment is expected to support greater gender inclusion in Africa’s energy technology sector, particularly in technical fields and decision-making roles where women remain underrepresented.
Nigeria became a member of the EBRD and a country of operation in 2025. Since then, the Bank has invested approximately €175 million across seven projects in the country and committed $100 million in trade finance facilities.
The financing for BPS forms part of the Bank’s engagement with Nigeria’s economy, with digital energy solutions offering a potential pathway to improved electricity distribution, stronger utility performance and more sustainable power sector operations.
