Bariga Residents Raise Alarm Over Four-Month Power Crisis
By Sherif Salau
Bariga residents and business owners have raised concerns over four months of erratic electricity, saying the prolonged outages are affecting household activities, hindering businesses and increasing operating costs.
What little power arrives is often gone within minutes. “Whenever the light is restored, by the time you say, ‘Thank God, the light is back,’ and you want to switch on something, they have taken the light again,” said Tolani Aliu, a resident. “That is how it has been in the last three months. The cumulative supply is just about one hour or so.”
The outages have hit hardest those who depend on refrigeration. Traders dealing in fish, frozen foods and drinks report repeated losses as stock spoils in the heat. Small shops that once hummed with freezers and lights now sit quiet for long stretches, forcing owners to either absorb heavy generator costs or watch their businesses shrink.
Inside the modest rented apartments that dominate much of Bariga, the absence of electricity has made the rooms nearly unlivable after dark. Comfort Ejeh, another resident, described families — including pregnant women and young children — moving outdoors at night simply to escape the stifling heat. “Bariga has many small rented apartments, and when there is no electricity, the heat becomes unbearable,” she said.
The affected areas cut across several streets. In Abuleokuta they include Ososa Avenue, Alhaji Odunsanya Street, Ogoluwa Street, Falade Street, Ago Owu Street and others. In Kusheyin, residents point to Bello Street, Ikija Street, Church Street, Bamiji Lawal Street and neighbouring roads as equally hard-hit.
The prolonged blackout has left many feeling abandoned. Complaints to the local electricity distribution company have, according to residents, yielded little lasting improvement. While power challenges are not unique to Bariga — shortfalls in national generation and transmission constraints have affected parts of Lagos in recent weeks — the duration and severity in these particular communities have pushed households and small enterprises to the edge.
For now, residents continue to adapt as best they can: generators for those who can afford the fuel, outdoor sleeping for those who cannot, and a growing sense of frustration that a basic service remains so elusive. As one more sweltering evening settles over the neighbourhood, the call for a lasting solution grows louder.
