Power
Osun community suffers prolonged electricity blackout
Residents of Inisa in Osun State have appealed for government intervention following a two-month blackout caused by a removed transformer.
Key points
- Inisa residents have endured a two-month power outage after a local transformer was taken away for repairs.
- Community leaders called on the state government to assist with electricity restoration and local infrastructure.
- The appeal was made during the 35th annual Inisa Day celebration, which also served as a fundraiser for local development.
According to reports by Punch, residents of Inisa town in Osun State have endured a complete electricity outage for two months. The disruption stems from a damaged transformer that was hauled away for repairs, leaving local economic and social activities severely constrained.
Speaking at the 35th annual Inisa Day celebration, the head of the local development association stressed that reliable power remains the community's most urgent requirement. He appealed directly to the state governor for administrative backing to expedite the restoration of electricity. Beyond the power crisis, the community leadership drew attention to other pressing infrastructural deficits, including the need for additional educators in local schools, the recruitment of more medical personnel, and the comprehensive renovation of a dilapidated primary healthcare centre.
The annual festival, which functioned as a vibrant gathering for indigenes to congregate and mobilise resources for self-help initiatives, also featured broader appeals from local political stakeholders. An elder statesman within the community renewed demands for federal intervention to establish an agricultural-related higher institution in the rural area, while simultaneously encouraging citizens to preserve public peace ahead of upcoming electoral processes.
Why it matters
The situation in Inisa illustrates the persistent vulnerabilities plaguing Nigeria's power distribution networks at the grassroots level. According to World Bank figures, Nigeria's national access to electricity reached 62.5 percent in 2024, lagging well behind the global average of 91.9 percent for the same year. Moreover, the country's electricity use per person languished at 140.6 kWh in 2024, contrasting sharply with the global average of 3,708.5 kWh.
For energy investors and policymakers, localized grid failures of this duration demonstrate the severe limitations of relying solely on centralized transmission infrastructure. Commercial activities in secondary towns and rural districts remain highly vulnerable to protracted outages when single transformers fail. These recurring deficits highlight the commercial and developmental imperative for scaling up decentralized renewable energy systems, mini-grids, and targeted off-grid investments across Nigeria's underserved communities to ensure reliable power for local economies.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Grids decide whether generation becomes power that homes and businesses can rely on. Generation mix, transmission and distribution losses, and tariffs together shape reliability and the case for investment.
62.5% of people in Nigeria had electricity in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
