A worsening electricity crisis is tightening its grip on Nigeria, leaving households and businesses struggling to cope as prolonged blackouts spread across several states.
Reports from Kano State, Kaduna State, Sokoto State, Enugu State, Benue State, Oyo State, Akwa Ibom State, Taraba State, Lagos State and Ogun State show that electricity supply has dropped to just a few hours daily in many communities.
Residents say the situation has become more severe during the current heatwave, forcing families and businesses to rely heavily on generators and solar systems.
In parts of Kano, households report receiving barely one hour of electricity daily. In Sokoto, some communities say supply has fallen below one hour, even in areas classified under high-service electricity tariffs.
Across the country, small businesses are counting losses.
A frozen food trader in Makurdi said unreliable electricity destroyed her business after repeated outages spoiled stored goods. In Ibadan, barbers, welders and shop owners say production has slowed because generators are expensive to run.
In Kaduna, residents say food stored in refrigerators has gone bad after days without power. Others report throwing away large quantities of food because of prolonged outages.
Energy analysts say the crisis reflects deeper structural failures in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Despite an installed capacity of more than 12,000 megawatts, actual electricity generation often falls below 4,000 megawatts for a population of more than 220 million people. Experts estimate that the country needs at least 30,000 megawatts of reliable power to support economic growth.
The shortfall is linked to gas supply disruptions affecting power plants, weak transmission infrastructure and years of underinvestment across the electricity value chain.
Distribution companies have also blamed reduced gas supply for the current wave of outages, forcing them to increase load shedding in several states.
The crisis has pushed millions of Nigerians toward alternative energy sources. Industry estimates suggest that more than 80 million households and businesses rely on petrol or diesel generators, creating a backup power market worth over $10bn each year.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Villa in Abuja is testing a solar power system as part of efforts to cut energy costs. The federal government has approved about N17bn for the project, which aims to reduce dependence on diesel generators and grid electricity.
Officials say the solar system is still undergoing testing before a full transition from the national grid.
Analysts warn that without major reforms in generation, transmission and gas supply, Nigeria’s electricity crisis will continue to strain households and slow economic growth.
