Nigeria's Power Paradox: They're Charging Us More for Darkness

When "Renewed Hope" meets the reality of midnight candlelight

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Abuja – Let me paint you a picture that every Nigerian knows too well: You're in the middle of an important Zoom call, presenting to international clients, when NEPA (yes, we still call it NEPA) decides to remind you who's boss. Your laptop dies, your internet goes dark, and you're left explaining to confused foreigners why the giant of Africa just went silent.

Welcome to Nigeria's power paradox – where we pay more for electricity we don't get.

Two years into President Bola Tinubu's "Renewed Hope" agenda, our power sector is still performing like a car with three flat tires. We've got the Electricity Act 2023, fancy policy documents, and ambitious reform plans, but when you flip that switch in your house, it's still a prayer meeting.

The Numbers Don't Lie (But They Do Hurt)

Here's the reality check that'll make you want to cry: On May 27, 2025, Nigeria's peak electricity generation was a measly 5,351.58 megawatts. Meanwhile, our actual demand? A whopping 19,798 MW.

Do the math – we're generating less than 30% of what we actually need. That's like showing up to feed 100 people with food for 30. No wonder everyone's hungry... I mean, powerless.

Real People, Real Problems

Aisha's Midnight Hustle

In Hotoro, Kano, Aisha Ahmad is living every remote worker's nightmare. She gets electricity for 3-4 hours daily – between midnight and 1 a.m. Imagine trying to attend a 9 a.m. client meeting at 1 a.m. because that's when you have power!

"The hours of light make it nearly impossible for me to work from home," she tells me, and honestly, I felt that frustration through the phone. She's now spending ₦1,000 daily just to commute to solar-powered office spaces. That's ₦30,000 monthly on transportation alone – money that could've gone to building her business.

Auwal's Generator Symphony

Over in Mariri, Auwal Sumaila runs a pure water factory that sounds more like a generator convention than a business. His machines run on diesel because public electricity is as reliable as a politician's campaign promise.

"Most times, we see light around midnight when I've already shut down for the day," he explains. So NEPA delivers power when nobody needs it for business. Classic Nigeria move.

Abdulrasheed's Five-Year Blackout

But wait, it gets worse. In Danlami, Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Abdulrasheed hasn't seen public electricity since 2019. Five years! That's longer than most people's university education.

"The last time we had electricity here was over five years ago," he says. Meanwhile, they're buying ice blocks from neighboring towns just to keep drinks cold. In 2025. In Nigeria. Let that sink in.

The "Renewed Hope" Reality Check

The Electricity Act 2023 was supposed to be our game-changer – allowing states and private entities to generate and distribute power independently. On paper, it looked beautiful. In practice? Well, ask Aisha working at midnight or Abdulrasheed buying ice blocks.

The cruel irony is that while our power supply remains prehistoric, tariffs keep climbing faster than Lagos traffic during rush hour. We're essentially paying premium prices for stone-age service. It's like ordering a Tesla and getting a wheelbarrow – but still paying Tesla prices.

The Economic Domino Effect

Here's what the experts won't tell you in those fancy conferences: This power crisis isn't just about inconvenience. It's economic sabotage in slow motion.

Small businesses like Auwal's factory are hemorrhaging money on diesel. Professionals like Aisha are spending transport money they shouldn't have to spend. Entire communities like Abdulrasheed's are stuck in 2019 while the rest of the world moves forward.

When your foundational infrastructure is this broken, everything else suffers. Innovation dies. Productivity plummets. Dreams get deferred.

The Hard Truth

Look, I'm not here to bash the government unnecessarily. The Electricity Act 2023 is actually a step in the right direction – on paper. But policy documents don't power refrigerators. Regulatory frameworks don't charge phones. And "Renewed Hope" doesn't light up homes.

What we need is less talking and more doing. Less ribbon-cutting ceremonies and more actual power plants. Less policy launches and more consistent megawatts flowing to homes and businesses.

The Way Forward

The solution isn't rocket science:

Fix the infrastructure. Stop the grid collapses. Match supply with demand. And for the love of everything sacred, stop increasing tariffs when the service is getting worse.

Nigerian entrepreneurs are some of the most resilient in the world. Give them reliable power, and watch them transform the economy. Keep giving them darkness at premium prices, and even the most optimistic among us will start looking for the exit door.

Bottom Line

Two years into "Renewed Hope," millions of Nigerians are still hoping to see light – literally. Aisha is still working at midnight. Auwal is still running on diesel. Abdulrasheed is still buying ice blocks.

Until we fix this power paradox, every other development plan is just wishful thinking. You can't build a digital economy on candlelight and generator fumes.

The giant of Africa deserves better. Our people deserve better. It's time to make the power sector work for Nigerians, not against them.

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What's your own power supply story? How many hours of electricity do you get daily? Share your experience in the comments below.

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