Power
Lagos communities suffer months of power blackouts
Residents in several Lagos neighbourhoods have endured prolonged electricity outages spanning up to four months, severely disrupting local businesses and worsening daily living conditions.
Key points
- Communities in the Bariga area of Lagos report a four-month blackout.
- Small-scale traders face major financial losses due to a lack of refrigeration.
- Intense heat forces vulnerable families to sleep outdoors during the night.
- Distribution company representatives have not responded to requests for comment.
According to Punch, residents across the Goshen, Abuleokuta, and Kusheyin areas of Bariga, Lagos State, have raised serious concerns over persistent electricity outages lasting roughly three to four months. Local inhabitants stated that cumulative daily power supply often amounts to barely an hour, leaving households deeply frustrated and uncertain about when stable electricity might return to the affected streets.
What happened
The prolonged power failure has severely impacted small-scale enterprises and commercial activities within these residential districts. Traders who rely on refrigeration to preserve perishable items, such as fresh fish and frozen foods, reported significant financial setbacks. Petty traders selling cold beverages and sachet water noted a sharp decline in daily sales because customers migrate to neighbouring districts with functioning electricity supply. Additionally, local commercial establishments, including printing shops and small hospitality ventures, have struggled to function, while health facilities must rely heavily on diesel-powered generators to maintain basic operations.
Beyond commercial disruption, the extreme heat has forced vulnerable families, including pregnant women and young children, to sleep outside on streets during the early hours of the morning due to poor indoor ventilation and stifling room temperatures. Residents also voiced intense frustration over disputed billing practices, claiming that postpaid consumers receive exorbitant monthly charges and multiple bills despite the near-total lack of actual power supply. Punch reported that attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company, Kingsley Okotie, were unsuccessful, as telephone calls failed to connect and text messages remained unreplied at the time of reporting.
Why it matters
Reliable electricity access remains a critical structural challenge for urban economic development in Nigeria. According to World Bank data, Nigeria's electricity use per person stood at 140.6 kWh in 2024, far below the global average of 3708.5 kWh, while national electricity access was recorded at 62.5 percent. Frequent distribution network failures directly undermine grassroots commerce, force small business owners into heavy reliance on expensive alternative fuels, and degrade urban public health and living standards. Addressing these localized grid failures is essential for fostering resilient commercial activities and improving basic community welfare across densely populated urban centres.
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.
