Electricity distribution companies in Nigeria have apologised to consumers over the prolonged power outages experienced across several parts of the country in recent weeks.
The apology was issued by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
Oduntan acknowledged the hardship caused by the unreliable electricity supply, particularly for households, small businesses and companies that depend on electricity to carry out their daily activities.
He also expressed concern over the repeated blame game among operators in the power sector, including electricity generation companies, transmission operators, distribution companies and gas suppliers.
According to him, the different explanations being offered by stakeholders are not helping consumers who continue to experience long hours without electricity.
He called on the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, to bring all relevant stakeholders together to identify the actual causes of the electricity crisis and develop lasting solutions.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reported improvements in electricity supply following repairs to the vandalised Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line.
The restoration reportedly improved electricity supply to parts of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory.
Supply to the Lagos electricity transmission complex also reportedly increased to more than 1,000 megawatts following the restoration work.
However, Nigerians are still concerned about whether the improvement will be sustained, especially as households and businesses continue to spend heavily on alternative sources of electricity.
For many small businesses, prolonged blackouts mean additional expenses on petrol, diesel and generator maintenance, further increasing the cost of operating in an already challenging economy.
The latest apology has once again drawn attention to the need for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electricity sector, with consumers expecting more reliable power supply rather than repeated explanations whenever the national grid experiences difficulties.
