BY JOEL GRANDBALL/AMBROSE OLOGIDE/RITA OYIBOKA
Electricity is the lifeblood of any economy. Just as blood carries oxygen and nutrients to keep the body alive, power fuels homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools, keeping the gears of society turning. When that flow falters, everything stalls: businesses grind to a halt, hospitals struggle to function, and daily life becomes a constant scramble.
In Delta State and virtually all parts of Nigeria, that lifeblood is dangerously thin. Blackouts and erratic supply have left residents frustrated, businesses bleeding money, and public trust in the system eroded. The problem is not new. Poor power supply in Nigeria is rooted in deep, systemic issues: ageing infrastructure, a shortage of trained personnel, and chronic underinvestment have long hampered the sector. In January 2026 alone, the national grid collapsed twice within days.
The 2023 Electricity Reform arrived amid much fanfare, promising a brighter, more reliable, and accountable power sector. Yet, three years on, the reality for Nigerians, Delta State included, is bluntly different: lights remain dim, outages persist, and the promise of reform often feels like a distant mirage.
The human cost of the electricity crisis has become impossible to ignore. Concerned residents and business owners in Uvwie Local Government Area recently took their grievances to the streets, staging a peaceful protest in Effurun and surrounding communities. Their message was clear: the poor electricity supply is no longer sustainable.
Protesters demanded immediate improvements from BEDC Electricity Plc and submitted a formal petition to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), calling for an investigation into the Band A metering system used by the company. Residents accused the utility of providing unstable electricity while issuing excessive bills, a combination they say is crippling local businesses.
The issue has drawn attention at the highest levels of government. Last week, Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, personally joined youths and residents at Ring Road in Benin City to protest lingering blackouts and billing concerns linked to BEDC, urging calm while promising swift engagement with stakeholders.
To grasp the extent of this crisis, correspondents from The Pointer went to the streets of Warri, Asaba, Ughelli and other towns. We spoke to traders, hotel owners, residents, government officials, and DisCos to understand how power outages have become the daily norm, and what can or is being done to rectify the issue.
Speaking under the veil of anonymity, an official of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) described the situation bluntly: “National grid collapse does not come from us. It’s either a transmission issue, maintenance, or natural causes. To be honest, national grid collapses are about generation and transmission; they have nothing to do with distribution. That’s the current issue; it is purely a government and gas problem. It has nothing to do with distribution, and we cannot provide what we don’t have.”
The official’s analogy is telling: “It’s like selling bags of rice: if you have 100 bags and you sell them all, with no restock, can you make more money? Of course not. That’s exactly what affects us. Any time there is no power, it impacts us heavily. We are as dissatisfied with the situation as anyone.”
Another BEDC staffer reinforced this perspective, underlining the structural nature of the crisis: “The issue of power shortage is not peculiar to Asaba. It is a national issue. The Federal Government and those concerned are looking into it. We are the last distribution link. What we don’t have, we cannot supply. Decentralising generation is not feasible; there are multiple generating companies, and if the system collapses, everything collapses. Even if smaller offices or decentralised points operate, if the national grid fails, the whole network, including places like Asaba, collapses.”
He, likened, the national grid to a household generator: “Think of it like a small generator at home: it has a limited capacity. If your load exceeds it and you switch to a larger generator, the small one becomes redundant. When the system collapses, you essentially have to restart the process from scratch. Until then, each unit must be rebuilt carefully. Regarding alternative energy sources like solar: yes, we are working on it. Some pilot projects have already started in Delta, Kwale and Ekuku-Agbor. They aim to generate power locally, and hopefully, these initiatives will ease the crisis soon.”
Yet, for residents and businesses, the theory of electricity is less comforting than the reality of darkness. The President General of the Uvwie General Improvement Union (UGIU) and Isirerha of Etche R’ Alegbo, High Chief Abovi Hope Erute, described the situation as both “embarrassing and discouraging.”
Speaking to our correspondent at his hotel in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, he lamented the economic toll: “The ugly development is making hoteliers spend more on fuel and diesel, eroding their profits. This, in turn, affects customers who now pay higher hotel bills.”
Erute emphasised that the current power grid has repeatedly failed Nigerians and suggested that Delta State should consider independent power generation: “Thank God our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has responded positively by constituting a committee to visit Ogorode Power, with a view to Delta State going into power generation. Kudos to him. My humble advice is that the state should pursue this project independently, without joining the national grid, which has failed Nigerians several times.”
For ordinary citizens, the cost of poor electricity supply is even more immediate and personal. Residents in Otovwodo community, like Mrs Dorcas, described their plight in stark terms: “We are paying for darkness in our area, and we don’t see the light to use if mistakenly they gave us. We are suffering and smiling in this country. BEDC will only give light towards the end of the month when they want to distribute bills and disconnect light.”
She added that even when electricity is supplied, it is often insufficient: “The light lasts for one hour at best, with low current that cannot power electrical appliances. The BEDC staff are also very rude to us. We want the federal government to decentralise the power sector to allow proficiency and competition because this monopoly is doing more harm than good.”
Similarly, a resident of Ughelli, Mr Dave, recounted his frustration with estimated billing: “I asked BEDC staff to disconnect me because at the end of the month they are always giving me estimated bills even when I have a functional meter. The estimated billing is more than the monthly rent of a 2–3-bedroom flat in Ughelli. I have resorted to using solar to have peace of mind. When I have the sun to power my battery, I am okay and free from the estimated billing, even when the light is not constant. The company should improve its services because if power were constant, we would pay our bills without complaints.”
In Oteri-Ughelli, Mama Oke added her voice: “BEDC is adding more suffering to Nigerians because their services are very poor and epileptic. We made several attempts to apply for a prepaid meter and were told to pay N150,000 plus another N20,000 for processing. That is beyond the reach of ordinary residents.”
Residents on Olori and Sadjere streets painted an equally bleak picture. “I regret packing to Olori Street because there is no light. If they manage to give us electricity, candlelight is better than it and at least shows we have something,” an anonymous resident revealed.
In Agbor, a businesswoman who sells provision including frozen drinks, Mrs Mary Osunde recounted the toll the erratic power supply has taken on her enterprise. “Since the year began, we have not had up to ten hours of electricity supply combined. I have had to stop using my fridge at home. I have gone back to warming food daily. For my business, now I rely entirely on my diesel-powered generator.
“The diesel is expensive, and it barely covers our needs. Now that the price of fuel has gone up, only God knows how much we will need to power the generator. It is draining, both financially and emotionally, but what choice do we have? If we do not keep the business running, we lose everything we have worked for,” she said.
The plight is not unique to traders alone. A hairdresser, Jessica Emegha, also based in Agbor, shared a similar story of frustration. “I cannot operate my hairdryers, curling iron, steamers, or any of the essential equipment for my salon because of the inconsistent power supply. The heat alone is enough to drive customers. Yet, BEDC continues to issue high electricity bills even when there is little or no light. It feels like we are paying for air.
“The Governor has started to construct the Street where my shop is located, but as I am rejoicing, I am also thinking, when customers come, how will I attend to them when there is no light? Is it my small profit I will use to buy fuel for N1200? This situation is suffocating our businesses,” she explained.
While the issues persist, fortunately, the Delta State Government is attempting to bridge the gap. In a recent statement, the state urged citizens to exercise patience as efforts to improve the electricity supply continue.
The Commissioner for Power and Energy, Engr. Ifeanyi Anoka reassured residents that the government is “working around the clock to ensure power is adequately distributed across the nooks and crannies of the state.”
Anoka highlighted the structural nature of the problem, noting that while the national grid is a federal project, the state has leveraged the Independent Power Project (IPP) to supplement supply: “The state, through the IPP, is working passionately to improve power supply. The federal government is also working assiduously to restore the national grid. Once that is done, the problem of power outage will be solved.”
The commissioner also addressed the plight of government establishments, like The Pointer newspapers, which had installed IPP facilities years ago but remain unconnected.
For over three years, The Pointer’s Independent Power Project (IPP) facility has been installed and ready for connection following successful test runs, yet it remains unlinked to the grid.
With most government offices abandoning the unreliable public power supply, The Pointer has effectively become a cash cow for the Benin City Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), which continues to rake in over N2 million monthly, charging for little more than running computers and air conditioners.
The economic impact of the power crisis extends far beyond businesses and offices. Unstable electricity supply has crippled small-scale industries, slowed production in manufacturing units, and increased operational costs across the board. For entrepreneurs relying on cold storage or even basic lighting, each blackout translates into losses, wasted resources, and missed opportunities.
In Delta State, the human and economic toll of poor electricity supply is palpable. From hoteliers in Uvwie grappling with rising fuel costs, to households in Otovwodo surviving on candlelight, to establishments like The Pointer paying millions for unreliable service, the effects ripple across every sector.
Yet, amid the darkness, there is hope: pilot projects for localised generation, government-led initiatives, and growing adoption of alternative energy solutions signal that solutions are possible if stakeholders act decisively.
Electricity is more than a commodity; it is the backbone of modern life. When it falters, the economy stumbles, citizens endure, and frustration mounts. Delta State sits at a junction: continue to rely on a failing national grid or embrace innovation and self-sufficiency. The choice will determine not just the brightness of homes and businesses, but the very pulse of the state’s economy.
