Electricity distribution companies have issued an apology to Nigerians over the prolonged blackouts that have hit homes and businesses across the country in recent weeks. Sunday Oduntan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, offered the apology on Monday during a broadcast on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, according to Punch.
Oduntan admitted that the prolonged electricity shortages have caused serious hardship for citizens. He also warned that operators in the power industry are sliding back into the mutual finger-pointing that damaged the sector between 2016 and 2019, when distribution firms, transmission operators, generating stations, and gas suppliers traded excuses over unpaid bills and broken delivery chains.
The ANED boss openly questioned recent statements from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. While the Nigerian Independent System Operator pointed to low water levels and gas shortages for the drop in supply, NNPC announced that gas was readily available. Oduntan dismissed that position as half-truths and insisted that the state oil firm must clarify if payments were settled and if gas was truly supplied to power generation plants.
The worsening supply situation has hit Nigerians hard during intense dry-season heat and El Niño conditions, leaving many unable to run basic cooling appliances. Customers on Band A, who pay higher tariffs under the system that promises at least 20 hours of light daily, have reported severe shortages. High fuel prices have also made petrol and diesel generators expensive to run, while alternative solar systems remain unaffordable for average families.
The crisis has sparked public reactions from well-known figures. Veteran Nollywood star Kate Henshaw questioned the ongoing power failures, lamenting that citizens have turned their homes into mini-factories just to generate electricity. Comedian and content creator Cute Abiola also posted a video pleading directly with President Bola Tinubu over the harsh heat and lack of alternative power.
Some citizens and civil groups have demanded the resignation of the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, following his earlier appeal for calm. However, Tegbe stated on Monday that supply had been restored to parts of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory following the repair of a vandalised 330-kilovolt transmission line connecting Benin and Egbin.
