LAGOS RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES DECRY POOR POWER SUPPLY BY IKEJA ELECTRIC
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Residents and business owners in Igando, Isheri, Idimu, Ikotun and adjoining communities in Lagos State have lamented what they described as persistent poor electricity supply by the Ikeja Electric.
In separate interviews, residents said the erratic supply had worsened living conditions, while business owners noted that unstable power had increased operating costs and disrupted daily activities.
A resident of Idimu, Abosede Akitan, said electricity is rarely restored during the day and, when it is, it lasts only briefly.
“This has been our reality in the past few weeks. Living conditions have worsened because there is hardly any power supply. When they finally restore it, it does not last up to a minute. It has been a long time since we experienced something this bad. This is not fair,” she said.
Many residents also raised concerns over rising insecurity, noting that prolonged darkness at night had left some streets vulnerable to criminal activities.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said electricity was critical not only for comfort but also for safety.
“When there is no light, the whole place is in darkness. That is when thieves operate freely, and that is what we are now experiencing,” the source said.
Another resident, Yusuf Ayoola, said incidents of theft and burglary had increased since the power situation deteriorated, urging the distribution company to urgently address the problem.
Business owners said they were bearing the brunt of the situation.
A shop owner on Governor’s Road, Felicia Adeyemi, described the development as crippling for small-scale enterprises.
“The situation is getting out of hand. They restore the light and take it again repeatedly. How do you expect small business owners to survive like this? We now spend more on fuel than the profit we make,” she said.
A welder in Ikotun, who identified himself simply as Sunday, said unreliable power had forced many artisans to scale down operations due to high fuel costs.
Similarly, a restaurant operator in Isheri, Kemi Ayorinde, said she now relies almost entirely on generators to preserve food and serve customers.
“We have prepaid meters, yet we hardly get supply. We recharge, but the units remain unused because there is no power. It is frustrating paying for a service we are not enjoying,” she said.
When contacted, Ikeja Electric’s spokesperson, Kingsley Okotie, attributed the situation to a generation shortfall caused by gas supply limitations affecting power plants.
He said the company had issued a public notice on the matter and appealed to customers to bear with stakeholders as efforts were being made to address the challenge.
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