NIGERIA: Electricity-starved in an oil-rich country, Nigerians are complaining as irregular power supplies wreak havoc with everything from businesses to frozen food in the home.

Record ID: 236383

  • Title: NIGERIA: Electricity-starved in an oil-rich country, Nigerians are complaining as irregular power supplies wreak havoc with everything from businesses to frozen food in the home.
  • Date: 6th April 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOLA JOHNSON, LAGOS RESIDENT, SPEAKING: "It's a major problem in Nigeria. You have homes without electricity for three months, you see people sleeping in darkness and that aids armed robbery."
  • Embargoed: 21st April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA97WMJ1B8K0MV8HS6YB2NUJZME
  • Story Text: There is a new racket on the noisy streets of Lagos, and even more smoke in the polluted air - generators. Stores supplying electricity generators are doing a roaring business.
    Nigeria, Africa's largest exporter of oil, is running short on power. With gas pipelines blown up by militants in the Niger Delta, and very little renewable energy, the national grid is struggling to maintain supply to a fast-growing economy.
    Now electricity-starved Nigerians are crying out for more power. They say they are fed up with the irregular supply from the state-run Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), better known as the National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA).
    Bola Johnson, a resident of Lagos, says that not only are regular power outages a major problem for businesses, they are also extremely dangerous and are contributing to armed robberies in the state.
    "It's a major problem in Nigeria, you have homes without electricity for three months, you see people sleeping in darkness and that aids armed robbery," he said.
    Nigeria which is the world's eighth-largest oil exporter is currently generating just under 3,000 megawatts of electricity against the installed capacity of 4,500 megawatts.
    The Power Holding Company in a press release last month said that disruption in gas supply to the 1,320mw Egbin station near the commercial city of Lagos, the 1,020 megawatts sapele plants in Delta state and the 969 mw Afam station in Rivers State have forced a 850 mw cut in electricity generation.
    Also today PHCN said that AGIP an independent power producer had shut down the Okpai Delta state power station which generates 450 mw to the national grid for an urgent maintenance work.
    Nigerians in all sectors do not believe in the statement of PHCN as there has not been a six hours straight supply of electricity in Lagos since the beginning of the year.
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