*Electricity consumers have attributed incessant collapse of the power grid to the decay in transmission infrastructure that the government urgently needs to address while demanding improve supply to homes, businesses and offices

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Against the backdrop of the latest collapse of the national grid and attendant power outages taking a toll on individuals, businesses and organisations across Nigeria, consumers are complaining about the situation, being the third within a month.

They have petitioned the government to fix the incessant shutdown of the critical national asset in the country’s economy.

It was gathered several Nigerians slammed especially Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Ikeja Electric Plc, over the epileptic power supply being experienced in Lagos State, the commercial capital of Nigeria, and other parts of the country in the past weeks.

Some of the EKEDC consumers made their views known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos while reacting to the latest situation Friday.

Some customers disclosed that they had not received power supply from the two DisCos in Lagos State for days before the incident.

Mr. Mutiu Oyekan, a businessman, decried the poor supply of electricity by the DisCos and noted that it was negatively affecting both residents and business owners in the state.

Oyekan said: “Even before the national grid collapse, we in Ibeju-lekki, Abijo down to Awoyaya didn’t have light for the past four days.”

Similarly, Miss Ifeoma Ike, a hairdresser in Amuwo-Odofin, said the power situation had been on and off for weeks within the axis.

“They just flash the light and take it again after a few minutes. After another three or more hours they will repeat it and they want us to continue to pay for services not rendered.

“I have been spending so much to run my generator and it is very stressful on my business,” she said.

Mr. Ismail Anu, another resident in Lagos State, also confirmed that the Ebute Metta area had been in darkness for over a week.

“This is not just about the national grid collapsing. We have been in total darkness since last Saturday,” he said.

Mr. Godwin Aya, Founder of Electricity Access Forum, said some parts of Meiran, Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda and Agege under Ikeja Electric had been experiencing blackouts since Monday of the week.

Aya as well said: “We have received complaints from customers in these areas that they have been in total darkness for days now.

“It seems the DisCo is only interested in collecting bills from customers without improving supply.”

As regards his personal experience, Mr. Adeola Samuel-Ilori, National Coordinator of All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, said power generation was yet to peak in the country following weeks of instability.

He explained that the drop in power generation was responsible for the poor supply of power to customers by the DisCos.

Mr. Samuel-Ilori also stated that the frequent collapse of the national power grid is due to the decay in power transmission infrastructure, which needs to be addressed urgently by the Nigerian Government.

Several Nigerian consumers have long relied on power generating sets as an alternative to the epileptic electricity supply in the West  African country.