Residents and business owners across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and surrounding areas have expressed frustration as the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has recorded multiple power outages since the start of the year 2026.
The residents have been grappling with power supply disruption arising from grid collapses, technical faults and scheduled maintenance.
Between January and February 2026, not less than 43 notices have been issued by AEDC about power outages in different parts of Abuja and surrounding states of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi where it has franchise.
As observed on AEDC’s X handle, the power utility firm issued 27 notices of power outage in January, while between February 2 and 15, 16 notices have been issued.
Apart from the two cases of national grid collapse that occurred on January 23 and 27, other outages, according to the notices issued by AEDC, were as a result of either a technical fault on distribution feeders, transformers, transmission substations, or maintenance of transmission lines by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in different areas the DisCo covers.
The repeated blackouts, which affected several districts including Kubwa, Gwarinpa, Lugbe, and parts of Maitama, have disrupted daily life and commercial activities, with many consumers describing the situation as “unbearable” and “economically distressful.”
According to customers who spoke to Pinnacle Daily, the electricity supply in January and the last 15 days in February so far was inconsistent, with some areas reportedly experiencing outages lasting several hours daily, while others endured days without stable power. Small-scale business owners, particularly those reliant on refrigeration and electrical equipment, say they have been forced to rely heavily on generators, significantly increasing operating costs.
“I run a frozen foods shop, and I can’t afford to keep losing goods due to power failure,” said Mrs. Chinenye Odugu, a resident of Kubwa. “We are paying our bills, but we are not getting the service we deserve,” she added.
Lucky Ibe, who resides in Mararaba, expressed concern about poor supply, noting that it affects their household and business activities.
“Electricity supply in my area has been very poor for weeks now. We barely have light for up to 10 minutes,” Ibe stated.
The situation has also drawn criticism on social media platforms such as X. While some commended AEDC for regular updates on the electricity situation in various areas across its franchise, others lamented about incessant power disruption.
The residents called on the utility provider to improve service delivery.
In a statement issued earlier this month, the AEDC attributed some of the outages to technical faults on feeder lines, system upgrades, and load shedding resulting from reduced power allocation from the national grid. The company appealed for patience, assuring customers that efforts were underway to stabilize supply and address infrastructure challenges.
“Dear Valued Customers in Glo Switch, Airtel Switch, Nitel Otrs, Oceanic Bakery, Kolda Link s/s, Pilot Qtrs and environs, Wuse 2.
“We regret to inform you that the ongoing power outage is due to a technical fault.
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Our dedicated technical team is working tirelessly to restore power, and supply is expected to be restored around 5:00 pm today.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding,” a notice issued by AEDC on Thursday, February 12, read.
The notice of power outage was trailed by a barrage of complaints by customers who expressed frustration about the incessant power failure.
“Light has been terrible in Bwari for over a week now. We don’t even get up to 2 hours of power supply in 24 hours and the heat is something else,” an X user, Mo stated, calling on the company to move beyond regular Twitter updates to addressing the challenge of power supply.
“In the last 3 days we can’t boost of light for even 2hrs, you bring it 5 mins and take it for more than 10hrs, like this morning you brought it by 7 am didn’t even last 5 mins and you took it till now nothing and this is after sleeping all night in the dark,” another X user, Natasha Pius, who said she resides in kubwa lamented.
Energy analysts note that electricity distribution companies operate within the broader framework of Nigeria’s national grid, where generation shortfalls and transmission constraints can significantly impact distribution performance. However, consumer advocacy groups argue that distribution companies must improve transparency, customer engagement, and rapid response to faults.
Band A Customers Lament
Some customers complained about being on Band A yet receiving a poor electricity supply after paying a high tariff.
Band A customers, according to NERC, are supposed to get a minimum of 20 hours of electricity supply daily. Where DisCos fail to meet this 20-hour minimum, they are required to compensate customers through energy credits or downgrade them to a lower, more appropriate band.
Here are complaints by Band A customers on X:
“The current electricity supply in Area 2, Garki, no longer reflects Band A status, as the hours provided fall short of the required standard,” Husaini Audi stated, urging AEDC to increase the supply to meet Band A expectations or downgrade them to the appropriate band in line with the actual hours given.
“I hardly get power supply, just a few hours per day, not even enough to freeze my items, yet I was moved to Band A and still no improvement, but then my problem is no light improvement. Why was I moved to Band A? Please return me to my devious band,” a Customer, Benjamin Obe Ekingo wrote via X.
“Customer Service Team, AEDC, I am writing to formally report a persistent power outage affecting Arab Road, Kubwa. This is a serious concern, especially since Band A customers are guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours of daily supply,” another customer, Udeaja Chima, also reported.
“We are in Band A in Wuye, but I don’t know what is happening to the light. How can we pay high electricity tariffs, and we barely get power?”
Meanwhile, residents have called on regulatory authorities, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, to investigate the recurring outages and ensure compliance with service standards.
As the outages continue to spark public anger, many Abuja residents say they hope for lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes, warning that prolonged instability in power supply could further strain household finances and hinder economic productivity in the nation’s capital.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
