News Update
There is outrage from Nigerians as substantial parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Nasarawa have been plunged into darkness on day 1 of the two-week electricity supply disruption announced by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
Residents and business owners are decrying losses amounting to billions of Naira as the outage kicked off.
This newspaper reported three days ago that AEDC announced a two-week blackout, which commenced on Monday, 6 January, 2025. TCN re-echoed the outage.
Both AEDC and TCN confirmed that in separate statements that the outage is due to the relocation of the 33KV DC Airport Feeder and 132KV Kukwaba-Apo Transmission Line Towers along the Outer Southern Motorway.
However, TCN noted that the development will lead to power-shedding or rationing.
AEDC, TCN had announced that Kapwa, NNPC, Games Village, National Stadium, Eye Clinic, Indoor Complex, Christ Embassy Church, American International School, Spring Court, American Embassy Quarters, EFCC HQ, Coca Cola, Railway, and FMC, and parts of Apo will experience power load shedding or power rotation.
Other areas affected by the outage are parts of Gudu, Gbazango & environs; parts of Kubwa, Bwari & environs; parts of Jahi; parts of Jabi; Karu, Nyanya, Mararaba, and Keffi & environs.
Correspondent who went round Abuja gathered that the listed areas are experiencing total blackout, contrary to TCN and AEDC’s claim.
Other places in darkness but not stated in AEDC’s list of affected areas are Utako, parts of Dawaki, and Dutse.
AEDC irresponsible – Nigerians
The situation sparked anger from electricity consumers within the affected areas.
Mabel Michael, a resident of Kubwa, lamented that it is irresponsible on the part of AEDC not to have looked for a viable alternative to the two-week outage.
“I just wonder how we would cope, especially with our perishables. AEDC is irresponsible,” she stated.
Benjamin Eze, a trader in UTC, said he spent so much to buy fuel on his generator owing to the outage.
“Honestly, I think it is disgraceful that we still hear of such things in Nigeria. There would have been other alternatives,” he stated.
Speaking exclusively on Monday, President of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, bemoaned AEDC, describing the outage as shameful and disheartening.
According to him, it is unimaginable that in the 21st century, relocation of transmission substations is done without a proper stringing plan in place.
He noted that TCN would have used planned stringing, which can be done within a day or two days.
“To be candid, it is shameful, disheartening, and unimaginable that in the 21st century, we have thrown caution to the wind as long as developmental planning of infrastructure is concerned.
“It is not done anywhere where there is relocation without proper stringing. What would have been done is stringing.
“It means that you have an existing network, you build another location, and then you string from X to Y. Abuja is a planned city, and nothing comes by accident.
“We all agree that the network expansion is not commensurate with urban growth.
“Stringing can be done within a day or two.
“We have received several messages from women folks outside businesses.
“Those major concerns are those with perishable items that cannot sustain their businesses on generators, especially with the high cost of petrol and diesel. It is at great cost to businesses.
“If we want to move the substation, a smart cityscape should have proper planning.
“In this case, the old substation would have been left to be in a circuit, and then the new one would be built. Then, run the network at the point of stringing. The wire will just be strung from old to new.
“Not that you will now obstruct the substation. People should be held accountable for this recklessness and negligence in developmental planning. It is unacceptable.”
We’re working to remedy situation – AEDC Acting MD, Okwuokenye
On his part, in an exclusive interview on Monday, the acting Managing Director of AEDC, Chijioke Okwuokenye said the Disco has put in place remedial measures to mitigate the impact of the outage on customers in the affected areas.
According to him, load shedding arrangements have been made in areas affected to have power supply, noting that there is no intention to keep customers in darkness for 14 days.
“The planned outage has started. However, we have put in place remedial solutions to ensure that the affected places are not put in total blackout.
“The arrangement we have in place to make sure that areas affected have power supply, we are very certain of that.
“Even in places that are difficult to back-feed, we see how we can carry out load shedding to ensure they have some hours of power supply.
“We are trying to use the distribution feeder to back-feed since the transmission feeder is out of supply.
“However, the problem with the distribution feeder is that it cannot carry so much.
“There is a remedial effort in place. The issue in places like Kubwa is that power supply has been diverted from there to the Central Area because we are using the area to feed critical zones like the airport, Idu, and Lokogoma.
“However, at night, when the load in the highbrow commercial areas is down, we move back to Kubwa. It is about load shedding.
“There is no intention to keep customers in total darkness for 14 days.
“There are different reasons for the outage. However, there is a plan in place to ensure that everyone has power.
“It would not be in the manner they used to get supply, though.”
We face substantial loss of revenue – AEDC
He noted that the situation has resulted in substantial loss of revenue.
“We are anticipating a number of losses due to the inability of customers to vend and reduction in energy usage.
“There is quite a substantial loss of revenue. I won’t want to put a number to the losses,” he added.
However, checks indicated that some areas affected by the outage have been without backup supply.
Blackout: AEDC plans compensation for affected customers
According to him, in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, customers affected, especially Band A feeder, may be compensated.
“We have made that presentation to the regulators. They are working on modalities to ensure how to get hold of the matter.
“There is also the issue of customers being compensated for being taken away from band A; the regulator is managing all that.
“It is because these are regulatory instruments to ensure that customers have proper services.
“The prolonged outage may just be a result of a local fault, so customers are advised to reach out to our customer service centres,” he said.
Adelabu to engage AEDC, TCN over outage
On his part, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said that the government plans to engage the operators on a solution to the outage.
In an interview with Daily Post, the spokesperson to the Minister, Bolaji Tunji, said, “Even for AEDC, allowing customers to be off the grid for weeks means a lot of revenue loss to them.”
“We are in talks with the operator. However, I am sure that if there was an alternative, it would have been taken by the Disco.”
(DAILY POST)