- Thousands Flock To Churches To Charge Phones
BY JUMAI NWACHUKWU/CHIKA KWAMBA/CHRISTY ABOGHE/RITA OYIBOKA/AMAYINDI YAKUBU
The frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid has left businesses nationwide struggling with increased operational costs, disrupted productivity, and widespread economic strain.
As power outages continue to destabilize the supply, many businesses have turned to alternative energy sources, placing significant financial burdens on their operations and impacting both large and small enterprises.
The grid’s instability, which has caused repeated nationwide blackouts, presents challenges across various sectors. Business owners in Delta and neighbouring states report soaring expenses as they rely on diesel generators, solar power, and inverters to maintain steady electricity. With rising diesel prices and increased maintenance costs for generators, profitability has become difficult to sustain.
Speaking with a resident of Agbor, Delta State, Mrs Joy Emegha remarked that the repeated collapse of the national grid has rendered power supply even more erratic. “Before the grid started collapsing almost daily, we could at least rely on power from 9 pm to 6 am. But lately, that schedule has been completely disrupted. Sometimes, we might get power for an hour during the day, other times just 30 minutes at night.
“In the worst-case scenarios, we’ve gone days without electricity and that means no running water because the price of diesel to run the generator for hours is beyond us. We can’t even keep food in the fridge anymore. Just last Sunday, we had to take our phones to church to charge them. The heat is another major issue. We have trouble sleeping, and I had to buy small rechargeable fans just to make things manageable.”
Meanwhile, a hairdresser based in Benin, Loveth Ozor, shared how the frequent power outages have forced her to rely heavily on a generator. “With the poor power supply caused by regular grid collapses, I’ve had no choice but to depend on my generator, and fuel is so expensive that it’s become a major issue.
“For example, washing and drying hair, which would normally cost N2,000 using regular electricity, now requires me to charge more because I’m running the generator. Customers don’t always understand. Installing wigs is even worse because I need power for about 30 minutes and for more complex jobs, up to an hour to use the curling iron, blow-dryer, and other tools. That service already costs between N6,000 and N10,000, so imagine how customers react when I have to add something extra to cover the cost of fuel. It’s challenging.”
Mr. Efe Emuobor, a business owner in Asaba, Delta State, noted that his expenses have doubled due to the grid’s frequent collapses. “Our reliance on generators means that every time the grid fails, we incur additional costs. It’s not sustainable, and it ultimately affects our prices and competitiveness,” he said.
For smaller businesses, the impact is even more severe. Shop owners, cyber cafes, and small manufacturing units, who may struggle to afford alternative energy sources, often face reduced productivity, delayed services, and lost income, which threatens their survival. “The grid collapse affects everything, from customer service to overall productivity,” said Chinyere Nwadike, who owns a printing business in Asaba. “We often have to turn customers away or delay orders because we can’t afford to run a generator all day. It’s costing us our reputation and customers.”
Mrs Alima, who owns a frozen goods store, shared how grid instability has broader implications for business viability and Nigeria’s economy. “I’ve lost a lot in my business due to these grid failures,” she said. “Most of my frozen products went bad. Though I used my generator to keep things cold, it wasn’t enough, and I had to throw away a large portion, which led to a huge financial loss.”
While she considers switching to solar energy, Mrs Alima noted that many businesses have turned to solar power and inverters, yet these alternatives require substantial initial investments, making them out of reach for smaller businesses. She emphasized that the lack of reliable on- and off-grid power options raises serious concerns about the future of Nigeria’s central power system and highlights the urgent need for sustainable reforms in the energy sector.
Reflecting on the economic impact, Mrs Alima added that until the national grid is stabilized, Nigerian businesses will continue to face rising costs, reduced productivity, and the challenges of operating with unreliable power. She called on the government for urgent and transformative changes in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure to restore business confidence and economic stability.
According to a Public Speaker, Douglas Okoh, “As disappointing as it may sound, it’s no longer news in our dear country when we hear of National grid failure. It’s saddening to think that the Government, up until now, has not been able to provide sustainable, uninterrupted and portable electricity for its citizens.
“I would say that the power sector in this country has experienced a serious retrogression in its operations for the past few years. The frequent collapse of the National grid has added to the untold hardship of citizens, especially for those in the middle, lower and poverty classes respectively.
“Total blackout, food storage challenges, increase in the cost of service provision, financial losses resulting from spoilage of perishable goods for business owners, communication breakdown surging from the inability to charge mobile phones and other devices, as well as physical discomfort sequel to the high-temperature rise experienced in recent times in addition to increasing health complications for in-patients domiciled in public hospitals are a few of the issues that have arisen in the occasion of the grid collapse.
“Most of the affluent in our society and neighbourhood have resorted to providing personal, uninterrupted power supply by embracing the use of solar panels and inverters, while some others rely on running generators and plants leaving the poor in the dark and helpless. We hope to awake to a Nigeria where a steady supply of basic amenities would not become a prayer request for the masses.
In the words of a Civil Servant and a beautician, Maranatha Abebe, “The frequent collapse of the national grid has had a significant impact on diverse businesses, affecting operational costs and productivity. Businesses now rely on generators to keep running during power outages.
“The cost of fuel for these generators, such as diesel or gasoline, can be substantial, especially if power interruptions are frequent or long-lasting. Backup generators require regular maintenance and servicing to ensure they’re functional, which adds to operational costs.
“Additionally, frequent use of these generators can lead to wear and tear, increasing repair costs snowballing into disruptions in service delivery leading to delays in meeting deadlines, unfinished products, or damaged materials.
However, Juliet Ntene expounded that facing challenges due to repeated power outages from grid failures can be frustrating. But we have learned to cope and adapt to the system by leveraging on the following backup power supply: generator, solar panels, or batteries, uninterruptible power supply devices to enhance productivity, protect sensitive electronic documents, and charge phones, laptops, and power banks’’
A cold-room business owner who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity said it has affected his business production. He said his business required electricity to produce iced blocks which they sell to retailers of sachet water to consumer.
Another business owner, Mr Nnamdi Emeka, who operates a business centre, said in a bid not to lose his customers as a result of the frequent national grid collapses, he had to switch from electric power supply to solar energy. He said that was the only way he could remain consistent and effective in business.
According to him, prior to the many collapse of the national grid, he has been alternating with the use of generator, but the increase in the price of petrol has made him opt for solar energy.
He said the installation of the many solar to satisfy customers’ needs has caused an increase in his service fees. He however said that with the recent weather which has helped him in satisfying his customers he is sure of making good profit from his business without paying any tax for the solar energy.
According to another respondent, Daniel Ogundele, ‘’I’m a drop shipper and I build websites and I’m also a writer. So, all of these things that I do, I do online. I need the internet. I work on my computer basically. My office is my computer. They are all remote jobs and looking at the current condition of electricity in Nigeria, the national grid keeps collapsing and this is November. It’s just halfway into the month and I think it has collapsed about two to three times. So, this has really affected my consistency in my business’’
In the same vein, Korede said ‘’Sometimes when I wake up in the morning expecting that light to come, I am caught up with going to different places in search for light, going to government buildings. For example, I stay close to the stadium. I always go to the stadium to charge. It’s not always convenient for me to charge over there and sometimes they won’t allow me to charge’’
Meanwhile, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has revealed that persistent national grid collapses are primarily due to load rejections by Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
In a statement, NOA explained that, despite significant infrastructure upgrades, DisCos continue to struggle with the capacity transmitted by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to the agency, TCN’s capacity has been boosted through the Siemens project and internal upgrades, now reaching an installed wheeling capacity of over 8,100 megawatts (MW) and capable of distributing 6,000 MW.
Until Nigeria’s energy infrastructure is overhauled, businesses and citizens will continue to bear the brunt of grid failures. From skyrocketing operational costs to diminished productivity, the implications for economic stability and growth are dire. The voices of business owners, workers, and citizens call for an energy sector that works—not just on paper, but in reality. Their collective demand is clear: reliable electricity is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
