₦airaland Forum

Electricity supply has improved in some parts of the country, findings by Saturday PUNCH have shown.

Our correspondents gathered that in many cities and towns in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and parts of Yobe, Nigerians were enjoying better supply compared to previous years.

But in other states, including Ekiti, Sokoto, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, residents lamented irregular power supply.

However, alongside the improvements, many consumers decried the high electricity tariffs, which they described as unbearable.

Residents in some states complained that while supply had become relatively stable, the rising cost of power, especially for those on Band A, was eating deep into household and business finances.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission introduced the Service-Based Tariff regime in October 2023, categorising electricity consumers into five bands based on daily supply hours.

Band A customers are entitled to a minimum of 20 hours of power supply daily, Band B gets 16 hours, Band C 12 hours, Band D eight hours, and Band E four hours.

In April 2024, NERC approved a sharp tariff increase for Band A consumers, raising rates from about N66–N68 per kWh to N225 per kWh.

Band B also moved up slightly from N63 to N67 per kWh.

The Federal Government further promised that generation would hit 6,000MW by the end of 2024, but as of mid-2025, supply has fluctuated between 4,000MW and 5,000MW.

Improvement in Lagos

Residents in some parts of Lagos, including Agege, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Victoria Island, Kosofe, among others, have witnessed noticeable improvement in recent months.

A resident of Isale Oja, Agege, Asmau Ibrahim, confirmed that electricity had been more stable in the past few months.

But a trader in the area expressed frustration in paying what she described as “too much money” for the electricity supply.

“The light is stable but the money we pay at the end of the month is too much. The tariff is too high for us,” she said.

Another resident, Akeem Adeyemi, disclosed that he had to request the disconnection of electricity in his home after his building was classified under maximum demand consumers.

He described the tariff as unbearable.

Adeyemi said, “When they placed our building on maximum demand, the bills became too high. I could not cope, so I had to tell them to disconnect my house. Now, we had to fuel generator to power the building, which is lesser. Can you imagine that they gave us over N150,000 in a month for what we don’t use at all?”

A prominent member of the community, Rasheed Lawal, confirmed that electricity supply had improved in parts of Agege, though he acknowledged that challenges remained in areas yet to be metered.

A Lagos resident, Olatunde Jentry, while commenting on a Facebook post by another user, Kay Lord, said electricity had improved not only in Lagos but also in Ekiti.

“It is not only in Lagos. I have travelled home to Ekiti twice this year and there was light almost throughout the days I spent there. This last time I went, in June, there was no light the day I arrived because it was their day off. They told me the light went off at 6am and it was restored in the night, and didn’t blink again till I left on Sunday. They all testified that they enjoy light 24/7 now, except on the off-days which is about once in a week,” he wrote.

Bayelsa: Supply increased after towers repair

Residents of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said electricity supply improved after the state government restored vandalised transmission towers.

They, however, noted that the improvement was largely due to the intervention of the state government, not the Transmission Company of Nigeria or the distribution company.

A resident of Yenizue-Gene community, Bralado Nimi, expressed optimism for better power supply when the state-owned gas turbines are completed.

He said, “Electricity situation in Bayelsa has improved remarkably since the state government helped TCN to restore their vandalised towers that supply electricity to the state. But we are optimistic that as from next year, we will enjoy better power from the state-owned gas turbines which are nearing completion.”

Another resident, Lucky Nweke, a businessman in Swali community, said the improvement had impacted his business positively.

Nweke explained that prior to the improvement, he used to power his refrigerator with a generator which reduced his profits significantly.


But for about a month, he had been relying on the national grid as his area enjoyed over six hours of electricity daily.

“The improvement in electricity has helped my business because we enjoy more than six hours of power supply. It’s enough to cool my refrigerator. Before now, I used a petrol generator, which affected my profits,” he said.

Delta: Longer hours, reduced generator use

Similarly, residents of Warri and Effurun in Delta State said they had been receiving longer electricity supply in recent months.

A community leader in Effurun, Thompson Onyeama, confirmed there was noticeable improvement in electricity supply, urging the distribution company in the area to “keep up the good work.”

Onyeama said improved electricity supply would impact positively on industrial and economic activities in the state.

Similarly, a barbing salon operator at the Ginuwa Junction area of Warri, Edwin Omafuaire, said he now used less petrol to power his equipment because electricity was available for longer hours than before.

“I now procure less petrol because electricity is supplied for longer hours. We sometimes get up to eight continuous hours during the day,” he stated.

Ogun: Kudos, knocks for IBEDC

In Ogun, it is a mixture of praise and criticism for the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company over the state of power supply, even as the company disclosed that consumers in the state owed over N127bn.

While some residents acknowledged improvements in electricity, others lamented that their communities had yet to feel any change.

A resident of Idomila in Ijebu Ode, Abiodun Michael, said power had improved with supply sometimes lasting five days nonstop.

Similarly, a resident of Oke Ata, Abeokuta North, Sulaiman Fasasi, noted more stable supply averaging 15 hours daily, while Adedayo Olubunmi of Ilisan Remo said the improvement came with higher costs for those on Band A.

In contrast, residents of Onikolobo and Adigbe in Abeokuta decried epileptic supply, with a resident, Mrs Ope Gbadamosi, alleging that many had relocated due to poor electricity.

Also, a resident of Sagamu, Gbolagade Idowu, said some areas enjoyed better supply, but others such as Ogunyanwo and Ogijo had been in blackout for weeks.

The Adele of Sawonjo in Yewa North, Chief Muibi Mulero, stated that about 20 communities, including Igbogila, Imasayi, Ijoun, Oja Odan and others, had been in darkness for nearly three years, a situation he described as devastating for businesses in the axis.

However, the Public Relations Officer of IBEDC, Ogun Region, Yomi Bada, said the company was aware of the challenges and assured that efforts were underway to restore supply.

He explained that the mainline for Sawonjo and other affected communities had been completed, with full restoration expected before December.

Bada further identified vandalism, electricity theft and the debt burden as major obstacles to improved supply, adding that the company required over 1,000 transformers and other facilities to meet demand.

Akwa Ibom: Relative improvement

In Akwa Ibom, officials of Ibom Power described electricity supply as “relative.”

Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents in Uyo, the company’s Director of Media, Peter Dada, explained that supply improvement depended on the band classification of each customer.

He said power supply in the state wouldn’t be uniform because of band differences, especially with the peculiarity of Akwa Ibom that relies on the Aba-Itu Transmission Line, which often trips off.

A community leader in Mbiabong village in Itu LGA, Ubong Umoh, also described the power supply in the state as relative, noting that while some areas enjoyed better service, others did not.

He said, “Here in Mbiabong, we have fair power supply but this is not the same in other parts of the state. I go to Uyo always; power supply there is not the same in our community.”

Also, a resident of Abak Road, Uyo, Inibasi Umo, described the power supply in the axis as fair compared to previous years.

She said, “In previous years, we don’t normally have light for days but the situation has changed a little. Now, we have power every night and they take it in the morning. Sometimes, they bring it back in the afternoon for about three hours. It wasn’t like this before, so the power supply situation is fair now.”

Another resident in the Uyo metropolis, Christian Etim, echoed the same sentiment.

Osun: Band A customers enjoy supply

In Osun State, electricity supply remains uneven as residents of major towns in the state said there had not been serious improvement in their communities.


But consumers on Band A in Osogbo, the state capital, said they enjoyed power for close to 18 hours per day, except when there were transformer faults.

A businessman in Olaiya, Ade Olagunju, and a resident of GRA, who spoke on condition of anonymity, both said their areas enjoyed constant supply due to their classification.

“We are on Band A in Olaiya Area. Because of that, we enjoy relatively regular power supply. But at times, we may have issues with the transformer supplying us. But the situation is not the same across the town,” Olagunju said.

But a resident of Ayekale area of the state capital, Rasheed Akintade, said his area, classified as Band C, had not been having regular power supply.

He said, “We have less than seven hours daily. Sometimes, there is no power in the day, and they restore it only at midnight. The situation is bad.”

Speaking in a similar vein, a cross section of residents of Ikire, Ede Road in Ile-Ife, Oke Afo in Ikirun, and Odo-Ori in Iwo lamented irregular power supply in their communities and demanded urgent intervention from the relevant authorities.

Abuja: Residents lament declining supply

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, decried the poor electricity supply by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, lamenting that despite an increase in tariffs, they barely received up to 10 hours of power daily.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that electricity supply was considerably better in the previous year, when households enjoyed up to 15 hours daily, compared to the present decline.

Investigations further showed that recurrent vandalism of power lines, intermittent blackouts for maintenance, faulty feeders, and national grid collapses were among the major factors that shaped Abuja’s power situation in the last eight months.

Between January 6 and 20, the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the AEDC announced a two-week blackout, running daily from 9am to 4pm, to allow for the relocation of eight transmission towers along the Apo axis for a road dualisation project.

While both TCN and AEDC have made efforts to restore supply, residents insisted that there had been no visible improvement when compared to last year.

A petty trader in Kubwa, Mistura Abu, lamented the impact of erratic supply on her business.

She said, “I remember there was a time when the AEDC announced a three-week blackout. There was no light between 9am and 4pm daily. Unfortunately, those are supposed to be the most productive hours of the day. I had to buy ice blocks to preserve food in my freezer, and the price went up because sellers relied on generators. Even now, supply only comes at night, which is of little use to us.”

Another Kubwa resident, Oche Adejoh, said his community had been without electricity for seven days due to a faulty transformer.

“I go to another street to charge my devices. Even before the transformer failed, supply was irregular—barely from 12pm to 3pm, then again from midnight to 6am. That’s less than 10 hours combined,” he added.

A youth community leader In Karu, Emmanuel Gyan, admitted they enjoyed relatively better supply but at high costs.

“Most of us here are on Band A, and this is not even a GRA. People pay as much as N2,000 per kilowatt-hour. To be fair, we get about 14 hours of supply, but the tariff is unbearable.

For those unmetered, the situation is worse. We’ve protested several times to no avail,” he said.

Yobe: Erratic supply, rising costs

In Yobe State, consumers described electricity supply as erratic, despite pockets of improvement.

An electrical engineer, Dodo Manu, said he relied on solar power after abandoning normal electricity due to poor supply.

He acknowledged improvements in fault response but warned that rising tariffs were burdensome.

“The maintenance team responded quickly when I reported a fault, showing improved attitude. But many subscribers are worried about the tariff hikes. Transparency and communication are key,” he said.

A civil servant in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity, lamented poor supply.

“The electricity supply has become increasingly unreliable, with frequent outages lasting several hours. Many LGAs like Tarmuwa, Bursari, Geidam, Yunusari, Machina, and others barely get power, except their headquarters. People have resorted to solar, which is expensive,” he stated.

He accused distribution companies of poor management and even claimed transformers donated by the state were taken over by DisCos, with technicians demanding bribes for minor repairs.

Blackout in Ondo South

Electricity challenges remain dire in some parts of Ondo State, particularly in the southern senatorial district, where some communities in six local governments have been without power for a while now.

The Benin Electricity Distribution Company attributed the poor supply to customers’ indebtedness.

A resident of Ogbe in Odigbo LGA, Adeolu Folarin, said the community had been without power for nine years.

“My business is collapsing. I rely on generators, which is expensive. Electricity is a necessity. Government should urgently restore supply,” he appealed.

Similarly, a community leader in Ode Irele, identified only as Omolayo, lamented that the area had been in darkness for years.

“We are suffering. Recently we saw BEDC laying cables, but there is still no improvement,” he said.

Beyond Ondo South, it was gathered that irregular supply persists in parts of the state, though some areas recorded slight improvements.

Recently, the Ondo State Government announced plans to take over distribution from BEDC, citing the zone’s “unserved” status. The Ode Erinje Substation was inaugurated to boost supply, while new regulations aim to end BEDC’s monopoly.

Ekiti residents differ

Meanwhile, residents of Ekiti State on Friday expressed divergent opinions on electricity supply across the state.

While some said supply had improved in recent months, others argued there was no noticeable change.

A resident of Housing Area, Ado Ekiti, Bukola Boladale, lamented that power remained erratic in the area, alleging that supply came mainly when officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company visited to read meters or distribute bills.

In contrast, Tayo Olaleye of Omisanjana said, “We now enjoy improved power supply. We can predict when we will have electricity. This is a welcome development.”

A trader in the GRA area, Elizabeth Adeboye, also noted a better power supply in her area, which she linked to the installation of transformers and transmitters.

The immediate past Commissioner for Public Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, confirmed that power supply had improved due to the state’s intervention.

He said government facilitated the purchase of about 7,000 prepaid meters, which boosted BEDC’s revenue and encouraged more power allocation to Ekiti.

Aluko explained that the wider availability of prepaid meters had helped stabilise electricity, as consumers now pay promptly for usage, leading to more consistent supply across the state.

Sokoto residents decry epileptic supply

In contrast, residents of Sokoto State decried epileptic electricity supply, saying it had crippled businesses and daily life despite repeated promises of improvement.

From Sokoto metropolis to rural communities, many areas reportedly receive less than six hours of supply daily.

A businessman at Old Market, Muhammadu Bello, said, “Running a cold room with a generator is too costly. Many traders are running at a loss.”

Checks in Mabera, Arkilla, and Runjin Sambo revealed that power often comes late at night and disappears by morning, while rural areas like Binji and Goronyo sometimes experience weeks of blackout.

A student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Fatima Musa, said the poor supply was affecting academics as students struggled to read at night or charge devices.

An official of Kaduna Electric admitted there were challenges, citing load shedding and technical faults, but promised gradual improvement.

An energy expert, Azeez Wasiu, stated that the distribution of prepaid meters had contributed to improved electricity stability in the country.

He noted that the electricity situation was far worse before prepaid meters were introduced.

“The widespread distribution of prepaid meters is one of the main reasons for the improved grid stability. It’s a big shift from the days when people were billed without actually receiving power from the grid,” he added.

The energy expert also emphasised that citizens should not complain about the recent tariff increase, as prepaid meters allowed users to manage their energy consumption.

He said, “I don’t believe anyone should be complaining about the tariff hike. With prepaid meters, we are fully in control of how much electricity we use and pay for.”

Source: https://punchng.com/mixed-fortunes-as-power-supply-improves

soup wey sweet,nah money make sweet.



BAND A,B,C nor be yo mate.No longer power waste

Na true sha,light increase and na better money kill am

But sincerely, the electricity has improved beyond my imagination, Nigeria will be great again. This I know for sure.

Seasonal fluctuations. Light supply always improve during the rainy and cold season. Let's wait till the hotter weather.

National grid will be collapsing every four market days.

This is real
Until we can celebrate electricity supply for 3 months uninterrupted
Then we can confidently say that the Nigeria of the future has already began to journey towards growth finally

Light has always been stable during rainy season.

Power has improved but could be attributed to the rains as the turbines in our dams have more water

However the problem of the Nigerian power system is Power transmission

Power supply is always better during rainy season, let's wait till sweaty and hot period before we make conclusions

The Federal Government further promised that generation would hit 6,000MW by the end of 2024, but as of mid-2025, supply has fluctuated between 4,000MW and 5,000MW.

This is the only fact to show whether power has improved generally or not.

From this, it's not new.

This one dey audible to the deaf and visible to the blind..

Electricity don truly improve..

Except your area dem don beat "NEPA" staff or your Transformer don get issues....that's a peculiar problem to your area...make Una go resolve am with the Distribution company involved

It's only during dry season we can know if electricity supply has improved , you can't Claim electricity supply has improved in the Middle of a very rainy season

What about Oyo State?! Ibadan light is one of the worst in the Country. Not all parts of Ibadan though but I can say, Major parts of Ibadan is always in darkness..

Which power supply improved. From where to where

tuoyoojo:
Power has improved but could be attributed to the rains as the turbines in our dams have more water

However the problem of the Nigerian power system is Power transmission

Turbines always have water ; it’s a dam for crying out loud; it holds water always to a certain level

5pecterGray:
What about Oyo State?! Ibadan light is one of the worst in the Country. Not all parts of Ibadan though but I can say, Major parts of Ibadan is always in darkness..

So Oyo state Ibadan don't have light with all the IGR that is more than the whole of South east combined ?

Wow 😂😂😂😂

My little village in Imo state with little IGR is enjoying steady power supply bro

Helinues and yarimo, dem say una no dey see light for Ibadan 😂

UnimkeAk:
Turbines always have water ; it’s a dam for crying out loud; it holds water always to a certain level

Water Levels varies with the Seasons. The Level obviously rises during the Rainy Season and much lower during the Dry spells. As a result, we tend to enjoy more stable Power Supply during the Rainy Spells that’s why a lot of people attributes/believe that there is a markedly improvement in Power Supply during the Rainy days.

The opposition will really struggle with their campaign in 2027.

Things are improving which can no longer be undermine by anybody

LagosOrigin:
So Oyo state Ibadan don't have light with all the IGR that is more than the whole of South east combined ?

Wow 😂😂😂😂

My little village in Imo state with little IGR is enjoying steady power supply bro

Helinues and yarimo, dem say una no dey see light for Ibadan 😂

My boy, you have resumed the daily worshipping..

Good boy

helinues:
The opposition will really struggle with their campaign in 2027.

Things are improving which can no longer be undermine by anybody

Mention one or two things that Tinubu has achieved since he grabbed and ran away with someone's mandate?

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/mixed-fortunes-as-power-supply-improves

which improve let wait till dry season, then we can decide whether it has improved or not

Please it's their civic duties and responsibilities to provide stable power supply for the citizen, which they haven't fulfil cos it's over 12 hours now that we didn't have power supply in my area even for the past some weeks now it's not stable.......

God will help us in this kwantiri

Pompoma:
Mention one or two things that Tinubu has achieved since he grabbed and ran away with someone's mandate?

IMF debt clearance
Subsidy removal
FX reserves improving
Electricity improving
Student loan

I can give you loads of achievements by this government

Remember, you have been active daily on this forum meaning this government policies are favouring you. We are the one who have nothing doing while you guys are just enjoying this government yanfun yafun

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/mixed-fortunes-as-power-supply-improves

I don't know about other States but in Bayelsa State, someone is saying six hours of light been enjoyed by him in his area........


Is that six hours daily or weekly or monthly, because the Bayelsa State I know, within the Yenagoa LGA, that is mischievous.

There are places in the Azikoro village referred to as town, they have not seen light in a year. PHED brings light for two days bring bills the third day and the day after they start going about to cut light. They do that for three days bringing light for one hour and coming out to cut residents who have not paid and the moment payment is made, the light situation goes off till the next month and this is repeatedly done every month all over the State.

Chai. This news is like a figure of speech to me. It is called Irony. The kind of electricity decline rocking my home area right now is like 90% reduction. However, where I lodge in my workplace area has recorded like 50% electricity supply improvement.
This is just a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/mixed-fortunes-as-power-supply-improves

Why all this epistle to shalaye what is not stable. In fact, my community's light just draw down from few days back. They shouldn't feed us with lie. Which kind power minister carries along with him powerbank if not Adelabu. I spit on them.

helinues:
IMF debt clearance
Subsidy removal
FX reserves improving
Electricity improving
Student loan

I can give you loads of achievements by this government

Remember, you have been active daily on this forum meaning this government policies are favouring you. We are the one who have nothing doing while you guys are just enjoying this government yanfun yafun

IMF debts clearance that plunged millions of Nigerians into perpetual loan for survival through wicked policies and throat-squeezing taxes.
Subsidy removal is not a positive but a negative achievement. Somehow citizens benefit from subsidy. So how is removing it and using the money for personal gain a positive achievement?
What Is Reserves when the citizens don't even have a dime to spend in the midst of daunting inflation? It's like having 20 players in the reserve (bench) of an Arsenal team but putting only 3 players and a goal keeper on the field of play. No money for citizens, but there is reserves.
Electricity generally declined and coming at a very high cost. Don't deceive yourself.
Raising tuition fee, bringing high inflation rate, then plunging students into debts is the height of wickedness. What happen to affordable school fees or free education?

SarkinYarki:
It's only during dry season we can know if electricity supply has improved , you can't Claim electricity supply has improved in the Middle of a very rainy season

Its always same with dem.

When dry season starts n power supply drops they come back here to cry

LagosOrigin:
So Oyo state Ibadan don't have light with all the IGR that is more than the whole of South east combined ?

Wow 😂😂😂😂

My little village in Imo state with little IGR is enjoying steady power supply bro

Helinues and yarimo, dem say una no dey see light for Ibadan 😂

Lmao...I live around airport , oyo state...Man!! The kind of electricity we enjoy over there is over encouraging...imagine having like 22hrs outta 24hrs...some days, they don't even take if off at all....

Real improvement from that side.
I like that seriously, but I no go still vote this present admin

kokoA:
Light has always been stable during rainy season.

SarkinYarki:
It's only during dry season we can know if electricity supply has improved , you can't Claim electricity supply has improved in the Middle of a very rainy season

Are you both still living in 1960 era? Rain has nothing to do with improved electricity.

cr8designs:
Seasonal fluctuations. Light supply always improve during the rainy and cold season. Let's wait till the hotter weather.

National grid will be collapsing every four market days.

Why does it improve during the rainy season ? Is there any reason or proof.?

I really don't think this is true