Nigerians are boiling as power outages intensify heat waves, pushing citizens to their limits.
Across the nation, residents are struggling with high temperatures, with frequent blackouts exacerbating the already difficult weather conditions.
In major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt, residents are voicing their frustrations as the power supply deteriorates.
Electricity distribution companies have pointed to grid disturbances and transmission faults as the culprits behind the low power generation, but that explanation offers little comfort to those going through the relentless heat without relief.
Read also: How to survive the scorching heat wave amid health risks for Nigerians
The prolonged blackouts, which have dragged on for weeks in some areas, are disrupting everything from households and small businesses to healthcare services.
Families who depend on the national grid are left in the lurch, forced to find alternative ways to power their homes and keep food from spoiling in their refrigerators.
The combination of scorching temperatures and power outages are pushing people to their limits, highlighting the urgent need for solutions to this ongoing crisis.
“Nigeria is too hot not to have an efficient power supply. How do you expect humans to cope in this heat wave without power? Year in, year out, we complain of this heat wave; it gets worse each year,” Onyekachukwu Frank, a health practitioner, said.
“The last year’s heat wave was more intense than the penultimate year. This year is more excruciating than last year, and the cycle continues. We aren’t proactive as a nation,” he said.
Last Tuesday, the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Plc (Ikeja DisCo), said the poor power supply currently experienced by its customers across Lagos was due to a transmission line snap that occurred between Towers 420 and 422 on the Omotoso-Ikeja West 330kV transmission line.
Ikeja DisCo claimed the incident led to a reduction of approximately 350 megawatts (MW) in bulk electricity supply, resulting in load shedding across its franchise areas.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) engineers are actively working to resolve the issue and restore normal power supply as soon as possible,” Ikeja DisCo stated in a release.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding during this period.”
Global warming intensifying
Experts point to global warming and the ongoing depletion of the ozone layer as key drivers of the scorching temperatures, which are now colliding with the country’s worsening electricity crisis to make life even more challenging.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet)’s latest projections said that the heat would persist in the coming days, peaking in parts of the South, while the North will continue to bear the brunt of even higher temperatures.
In Lagos, the nation’s bustling commercial hub, residents are struggling through sweltering conditions with little respite. The lack of reliable electricity means many are unable to power fans or air conditioning, leaving them to endure the oppressive heat with limited options for relief.
Read also: Experts say recurrent heat stress signals the impact of climate change
Decentralising the grid
Jide Pratt, COO of AIONA, said the country needs to continue to drive investment in the decentralisation of the grid, the transmission and the distribution value chain of the power sector.
“We need to continue to decentralise the grid, invest in transmission and distribution, and ensure payments are made as and when due to enable cash flow and investment. Finally, we must keep driving alternative energy simultaneously.
“The work on the Siemens deals also needs to be intensified alongside more gas projects like Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) and Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipelines.”
Risk of illnesses
According to NiMet, nearly half of the population is at risk of heat-related illnesses like fatigue and irritability, reduced focus and motor skills and lower productivity.
As part of the solutions to the challenges, NiMET advised people to ensure rehydration with adequate fluid intake.
“Seek shade, use fans, and wear light, breathable clothing to reduce exposure to high temperatures,” it said. The agency warned that people should avoid strenuous physical activity during peak heat hours.
Some health physicians who spoke with BusinessDay said there has been an uptick in the presentation of heat rashes in adults and children, noting that people now easily get exhausted.
Chinonso Egemba, Nigerian doctor and health influencer, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, emphasised that the health hazards of heat waves are enormous for children without alternative sources of energy.
“For kids in homes without alternative power, the risks are heat-related illnesses, respiratory issues, poor sleep and low immunity, and food poisoning because no steady light means food spoils faster in the fridge.”
Read also: NiMet warns of increased meningitis risk due to weather conditions
Solutions
However, Egemba proffered solutions to help mitigate the effect of heat waves where there is a lack of alternative power, especially in homes with children.
He said: “Hydration, cross ventilation, taking a bath before bedtime and the use of mosquito nets and repellents would help manage the situation.
“Also, food should be stored wisely. If there’s no fridge, dry, salt, or cook perishable foods to make them last longer. We need to keep pushing for better infrastructure because good health starts with basic needs like electricity.”