Lagos residents decry over three-month power outage, demand urgent intervention
Residents and business owners on six streets — Raji Oba, Awoyemi, Folarin, Ajala, Olonade, and Akinshola — in the Alimosho area of Lagos State have raised alarm over a power outage that has lasted for more than three months, severely disrupting daily life and economic activity.
The affected communities say the blackout, which began in the second week of March 2025, has crippled businesses, limited access to water, and raised security concerns, with marauders reportedly taking advantage of the prolonged darkness to operate under the cover of night.
According to residents, the outage is due to a faulty transformer that has not been replaced or repaired, despite repeated complaints and follow-ups. They are calling on the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to act swiftly and restore power.
These streets fall under the Band A electricity consumer category, which is expected to receive 20 to 24 hours of daily power supply. However, residents say they have been plunged into complete blackout since the transformer was taken away months ago.
Michael, one of the residents, described the situation as unbearable: “So, we are pleading as a community, as one, for Ikeja Electric and the appropriate authorities to listen to our cries to save our communities. Olonade-Akinsola and other streets have always been a good community and we want it to remain like this.”
Another resident, who identified herself as Mama Chioma, echoed the frustration: “We have been struggling in darkness. We have been in total blackout for over three months, crippling businesses. We are pleading with IKEDC to urgently address this.”
The community has formally documented its grievances. In a letter dated March 16, 2025, addressed to IKEDC and titled “Urgent request for Band A intervention on prolonged power outage in our community”, the Olonade-Akinsola community association outlined the adverse impact of the blackout.
The letter stated:
“The power failure has severely impacted our daily activities, businesses, healthcare services, and overall well-being in these six streets.
We are yet to receive a clear response regarding an estimated time for restoration. The continuous blackout has caused significant discomfort, economic losses, and security concerns within our community.
In light of the above, we respectfully request urgent intervention and directive to the appropriate department to expedite the resolution of this issue.”
The community also appealed to regulatory bodies — including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) — to intervene and ensure IKEDC meets its service obligations to Band A consumers.
As of Wednesday, June 18, the power situation in the affected area remains unresolved.
