Nigeria: Lack of electricity destabilizes schools and businesses

In Nigeria, the energy crisis has become a daily reality for many residents. About half of Nigeria's more than 200 million people are connected to a national power grid that is unable to provide sufficient electricity.

In rural and poor communities, the complete lack of connection to the grid leaves millions of people without electricity, jeopardizing their quality of life and their future.

At Excellent Moral School in Ibadan, the situation is particularly dire. The founder of the school, Muyideen Raji, testifies to the difficulties encountered: “There has never been electricity here, and we have made rigorous efforts to get a transformer, to be connected to the national grid, but up until now, we are still working on it. And this affects so many things here, especially education. You know that today, education is beyond writing and listening to teachers in the classroom, education has become digital, and there is no way to provide students with what they need without electricity.” This situation jeopardizes the future of young students who cannot benefit from modern and technological education.

Electricity problems are not limited to education. In rural communities like the Excellent Moral School, frequent power outages have forced residents to rely on private generators powered by diesel or gasoline. However, the recent removal of oil subsidies has led to a significant increase in fuel costs, putting households, schools and businesses under financial pressure.

Abdulhakeem Adedoja, the headmaster of Lorat Nursery and Primary School in Ibadan, expressed concern about the impact of the crisis on his school: “One of the biggest concerns is that we don’t want to lose this school soon because people are leaving, leaving this area on the pretext that there is no light. I have people who have moved just because they say there is no light in this community. So, we are losing students in the process. Some people have to leave with their parents and leave the school.” The power shortage is thus forcing families to leave the area, further aggravating the crisis in the schools.

Small businesses, especially those that rely heavily on electricity like restaurants, are also affected. Ebunola Akinwale, owner of Nature’s Treat café in Ibadan, highlights the challenges she faces: “If nothing changes, and it stays the way it is now or it gets worse, I will probably change the business model, I will probably focus more online, maybe close one or two branches and maybe buy bikes and do more deliveries. I will probably rethink the business model to cut costs. I will probably not close my business because I am very passionate about what I do, but I will probably think of ways to be less reliant on electricity.” The need to adapt by cutting costs or changing the business model is becoming more pressing.

In a country where the sun shines almost all year round, solar energy represents a promising alternative. However, attracting investors to finance large-scale solar projects remains a major challenge. For now, millions of Nigerians continue to live with inadequate electricity, seeking solutions to adapt to this harsh reality.