Business owners and residents across Nigeria’s South-South region have raised concerns over the crippling effects of persistent power outages and rising electricity tariffs on their livelihoods.
A recent survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Cross River states revealed that unreliable electricity supply is forcing many small businesses to struggle for survival. Despite receiving little to no power, consumers lamented that they are still subjected to exorbitant estimated bills.
In Uyo, residents of Atan Offot, Obio Etoi, Stadium Road, Aka Etinan, Obong Street, Idak Eyop, Mbeierebe Junction, and Atiku Abubakar Way reported prolonged blackouts, with some areas experiencing months without electricity. A laundry business operator in Obio Etoi said he spends N5,000 daily on fuel to power his generator, yet the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) continues to issue him high electricity bills for power he does not consume.
Similarly, Theresa Donatus, a resident of Atiku Abubakar Way, decried the rising estimated bills, stating that her household now receives N20,000 in monthly charges despite barely having four hours of electricity per day.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has also condemned the frequent electricity tariff hikes, warning that they are negatively impacting the manufacturing sector. The association criticized the failure of Nigeria’s power sector privatization, which was intended to improve electricity generation and supply but has yet to deliver on its promise.
