By Peter Omopo
Residents of Lagos on Thursday staged a protest over prolonged electricity outages, expressing anger over what they described as worsening power supply across the state.
A viral video circulating on social media showed a group of demonstrators—mostly young Nigerians—marching through the Fadeyi area while chanting and carrying placards to draw attention to the ongoing electricity crisis.
The protesters displayed signs with messages such as “No more estimated billing,” “No more epileptic power supply,” and “No light, no life, no nation,” as they criticised the poor performance of the power sector and its impact on daily life and businesses.
Some demonstrators said unreliable electricity had severely affected small businesses and livelihoods. In the video, one protester shouted, “We are not asking for too much—make them give us light.”
The demonstration in Lagos reflects growing public dissatisfaction with electricity supply across Nigeria.
Earlier in the week, youths under the Nigerian Youth Congress in Osun State also condemned the persistent lack of stable electricity, describing the situation as damaging to the economy.
Similarly, business owners in Effurun and Uvwie areas of Delta State staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday against high electricity bills and inconsistent power supply.
Industry stakeholders have warned that Nigeria’s electricity challenges may worsen. The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Joy Ogaji, recently cautioned that gas suppliers might halt deliveries to thermal power plants due to an estimated ₦3.3 trillion debt owed by power generation companies.
Experts say such disruptions could further reduce electricity generation and intensify the country’s power shortages in the coming weeks.
The protests highlight mounting frustration among citizens and businesses struggling with unreliable electricity in Africa’s most populous nation.
