Residents of Kurudu, Orozo, and Karshi communities at the outskirts of Abuja are struggling with a crippling electricity supply crisis that has persisted for the past two months. The affected areas fall under the jurisdiction of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, which has faced complaints over erratic power delivery, leaving households and businesses in distress.
Many residents described the situation as “frustrating,” reporting electricity availability of just a few seconds daily. Some noted that brief flashes of light at night are followed by “outrageous estimated bills” at month-end.
Miss Jennifer, a hairdresser in Kurudu, said, “It has been very challenging. Sometimes, I can’t even operate for a few hours because I have to rely on fuel for my generator, which now costs N1,300 per litre. It’s becoming almost impossible to keep the business running.”
Similarly, Mr. Ogidi, a welder, lamented, “How can I work properly when electricity comes for just a few seconds and goes off again? I have lost so many jobs because I cannot predict when the power will be on.”
Mrs. Udoka, who operates a cold room, was forced to temporarily close her business, citing high generator fuel costs. “Running a generator at over N1,000 per litre of fuel is unsustainable. It’s affecting my income and the storage of perishable goods,” she said.
Other local business owners echoed similar frustrations. Kazeem, a laundry operator, explained, “We sometimes see the light for like 1 minute, and then it’s gone. How are we supposed to survive under these conditions?”
The power crisis extends beyond Abuja, with residents in Mararaba Loko, Nasarawa State, describing electricity as a rare luxury. Mrs. Chidera, a tailor, said, “We barely see light here; it comes once in a blue moon. Sometimes we barely have light for a few seconds in a day, yet your prepaid meter is reading fast as if we’ve been using electricity non-stop. It is impossible to plan anything, and businesses are suffering.”
In response, AEDC acknowledged the challenges on its social media platforms, apologizing and assuring that the situation was not deliberate. “Power supply will be normalized in the area once the allocation improves,” the company stated.
Residents, however, are urging urgent action, stressing that two months of near-total power deprivation is unsustainable for both households and businesses.
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