By Joshua Babatunde

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The persistent lack of investment in Nigeria’s power sector is not only crippling the nation’s economy, but also severely disrupting the daily lives of ordinary citizens, Nelson Ekujumi, Executive Director of the Centre for Writing, Grassroots Initiative, has warned.

Speaking in Akure, Ekujumi said power supply challenges have become a barrier to social and economic progress.

“When transformers in many communities are obsolete and electrical cables are dangerously patched together, it is clear that infrastructure neglect has reached a critical level,” he said.

Ekujumi highlighted how the government’s continued subsidy of electricity tariffs, although easing immediate burdens on consumers, has done little to address the underlying investment deficit.

“The power sector is vital for business, education, healthcare and everyday household activities. Its failure leads to increased costs, lost productivity and widespread hardship,” he explained.

He praised the current administration’s move to decentralise power generation and distribution, allowing states greater control, but urged all levels of government to commit more resources to reviving the sector.

“States and local governments must see power infrastructure as an urgent priority and invest accordingly,” he said.

Ekujumi also pointed to the introduction of prepaid meters as a positive development aimed at reducing electricity theft and promoting responsible consumption.

“The reality is that power is not free and recognising this is the first step to creating a sustainable system that can serve Nigerians effectively,” he concluded.