In Oju Local Government Area of Benue State, persistent power outages have become a nightmare for residents and business owners. The unreliable electricity supply has crippled economic activities, forced businesses to shut down, and disrupted daily life.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the local economy, are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Salons, game houses, cold rooms, barbershops, welding shops, and even medical facilities struggle to operate without a reliable power supply. Some have resorted to expensive alternatives like generators, while others have been forced to close entirely.
Despite repeated complaints and stakeholder meetings with the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), the situation remains dire, with power supply being erratic and insufficient. Many residents believe that power is supplied only when electricity bills are due, leading to frustration and accusations of exploitation by the distribution company.
Businesses on the Brink of Collapse
For business owners like Mr. Benson Egbodo, who runs a computer center in Oju, the prolonged power outage has become unbearable.
“I am spending more money to gain less profit. I now solely rely on generators, which are expensive to maintain. The high cost of fuel and reduced sales have affected my business, and my business is threatening to fold up due to the power outage. The prolonged disruption has severely impacted my cash flow, making it challenging for me to meet my financial obligations. If this continues, my business may not recover.”
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The high cost of maintaining generators due to rising fuel prices has made it unsustainable for small businesses to operate. Nigeria’s fuel subsidy removal in 2023 led to a sharp increase in fuel prices, worsening the financial strain on business owners who depend on generators as an alternative power source.
Similarly, Mrs. Grace Oyeye, a 45-year-old woman who deals in beverages has seen her business decline significantly.
“Customers refuse to buy drinks and water because they are not cold. I use the money I generate from my business to pay my children’s school fees, shop rent, and feed my family, but all of this has been thwarted. The electricity company usually supplies power for a few days just before collecting bills, then there is a power outage for weeks.”
Mrs. Oyeye’s frustration highlights a major grievance shared by many business owners in Oju. The erratic power supply forces businesses to raise their prices due to increased operational costs, making basic goods and services more expensive for residents.
A Hospital in Darkness
The situation is equally grim at General Hospital Oju, where power outages have directly affected healthcare delivery.
During a visit to the hospital on January 15, 2025, a nurse was seen using a torchlight in the evening to brighten a female ward, while a patient chose to leave rather than endure a night without electricity or mosquito nets.
Mr. Denis (Pseudonym), a worker at the hospital’s laboratory, revealed how the erratic power supply has impacted surgeries.
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“The surgical ward doesn’t have a generator, so they borrow from the lab. When communication fails, surgeries get delayed.”
This means that life-saving procedures can be postponed or even canceled due to a lack of electricity. In a medical facility where uninterrupted power is essential for refrigeration of vaccines, lighting in surgical wards, and operation of medical equipment, the lack of electricity is a severe threat to public health.
The History of Power Problems in Oju
Mr. Onwu Samson Onwu, a public commentator noted that Oju Township’s power problems date as far back as 2017. He described the crisis as a long-standing issue that has worsened over time.
“The power supply in Oju comes from Otukpo, and the issue of power outage dates way back. For a whole week, you might not have up to two hours of electricity. Businesses are suffering, and people are relocating to places with better power supply.”
He further emphasized how poor infrastructure contributes to the outages.
“Whenever it rains, residents expect a long blackout. The company should overhaul its operations and improve communication with customers.”
The lack of proper infrastructure and maintenance has worsened power distribution, making blackouts more frequent and prolonged.
Controversy Around Estimated Billing in Nigeria
One of the biggest concerns among Oju residents is the estimated billing system, which many see as fraudulent.
Nigeria’s electricity billing system has been a contentious issue for years. A 2024 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that 85.2% of Nigerian households are on estimated billing, while only 14.8% use prepaid meters. This means that the majority of Nigerians pay for electricity based on estimates rather than actual consumption.
Residents complain that the estimated billing system is unfair and exploitative. Mrs. Oyeye stated:
“So the week they want to collect the NEPA bill, they will flash the light for about four days, and after that, they won’t bring the light again until another month.”
This aligns with broader national concerns. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) introduced a cap on estimated billing in 2020 to protect customers from overbilling. However, compliance by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) has been poor.
In 2024, NERC sanctioned all eleven DisCos for failing to comply with billing caps, ordering them to adjust electricity bills and refund overcharged customers. However, enforcement remains weak, and customers continue to be overbilled for electricity they barely receive.
Nigeria’s Electricity Crisis: A Nationwide Issue
The power supply issue in Oju is a reflection of Nigeria’s broader electricity crisis.
According to World Bank data (2022), only 60.5% of Nigeria’s population has access to electricity. This figure is far lower in rural areas, where less than 30% of residents have access, compared to 89% in urban centers.
Despite being Africa’s largest economy and having one of the world’s largest gas reserves, Nigeria continues to struggle with power generation and distribution. The national grid has collapsed multiple times in recent years, with 2024 recording at least six major grid collapses.
Additionally, Georgetown University’s Global Journal of International Affairs (2024) reports that Nigeria’s power sector has suffered from decades of underinvestment, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to a situation where supply falls drastically short of demand.
Calls for Government Intervention
The residents of Oju are now calling on the government and relevant agencies to address the crisis before it completely cripples the local economy.
We reached out to the Oju Local Government Chairman, Hon. Jackson Ominyi to ascertain what interventions he has initiated for the blackout in Oju but to our dismay, repeated calls to the chairman were not taken nor did he return any of them when this reporter requested for an interview.
In response to the situation, the Igede Youth Council has written to the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) and Agba Community Radio at Oju, expressing their grievances. They have also threatened legal action if nothing is done to address the crisis.
Hon. Ahulo, a resident, summed up the frustrations:
“I can’t listen to the news. Laundry is expensive. Welders, barbers, and everyone that requires electricity to run their businesses are stuck because they cannot operate without electricity. We have had stakeholder meetings with the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) in Oju, yet there has not been a turnaround of events.”
Hon. Blessed Onah Emmanuel disclosed that the blackout in Oju Local Government is a recurring issue.
“I don’t need to write to JEDC. Youths have been protesting. About two years ago, I made an intervention by contacting Adakole Elijah who is one of the bosses at Jos Electricity Distribution Company (Jos) and the Electricity was restored at that time.”
Residents and business owners are demanding:
- A billing system that reflects actual power consumption – Estimated billing should be scrapped, and prepaid meters should be made available to all customers.
- An improved feedback mechanism – The electricity company should provide timely updates on planned outages and respond to complaints promptly.
- Infrastructure upgrades – The power supply network must be overhauled to reduce frequent blackouts.
