Aba residents, businesses count losses over two-week power outage

Residents and business owners in Aba, Nigeria, are facing severe financial hardship due to a prolonged power outage that has lasted over two weeks. The disruption has crippled economic activity across the nine local government areas of the Ukwa Ngwa zone, forcing many to count significant losses.

Geometric Power Aba Limited (GPAL), the company responsible for electricity supply in the Aba Ring-fenced Area, stated that the outage is due to its inability to secure gas from its supplier. This has left the city without electricity, pushing businesses to rely on expensive alternative power sources.

Jerry, an eatery operator in Aba North, expressed his fear of shutting down his two restaurants due to the escalating costs of maintaining generators. He spends approximately ₦50,000 daily on fuel alone, on top of other operational expenses, staff wages, and family needs. "I'm afraid my businesses will soon fold up because of the high cost of maintaining alternative power supply since the outage began," he said, noting that fuel prices have reached about ₦1,300 per liter.

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I’m afraid my businesses will soon fold up because of the high cost of maintaining alternative power supply since the outage began.

Similarly, an ice and sachet water producer has suspended operations, unable to bear the cost of running her generating set. Residents like Mrs. Ngozi Nwankwo are also feeling the strain, as the blackout increases their household expenses for powering refrigerators and preserving food. Some residents have called for the Federal Government to license another company to supply power to Aba.

Prof. Barth Nnaji, Chairman of Geometric Power, explained the disruption stemmed from a failure at Heirs Energy's Associated Gas Gathering Plant in Obigbo, Rivers State, due to aging equipment. He apologized for the inconvenience and urged the Federal Government to address gas supply issues affecting the power sector, highlighting that a significant portion of Nigeria's electricity relies on gas-fired plants. "Nigeria cannot be among the six countries with the largest natural gas reserves in the world and still be experiencing recurring gas-related power crises," Nnaji stated.

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Nigeria cannot be among the six countries with the largest natural gas reserves in the world and still be experiencing recurring gas-related power crises.