The Rescue Movement for New Nigeria, also known as the Rescue the Vulnerable Initiative, has expressed deep concern over the ongoing power outages affecting most parts of northern Nigeria and some southern states. The group highlighted that the national grid experienced another collapse over two weeks ago, exacerbating the already dire situation.
In a statement issued by Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba, the National Director of Media and Publicity for the group, the blackout was described as “another monumental national disaster that is now killing the already crippling businesses across the country.”
The statement emphasized, “In a country already facing significant economic challenges due to the high cost of fuel following the removal of subsidies, prices of goods have soared, crippling businesses. The collapse of the national electricity grid has become a recurring unfortunate event since the APC took over power.” It was noted that 17 out of 19 states in northern Nigeria—namely Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara—have been experiencing total blackouts, along with some southern states.
The group warned that the situation is devastating many small and medium-sized businesses already struggling under the weight of poorly timed policies. They pointed out that sellers of frozen foods, such as chicken and fish, are particularly hard-hit, with many forced to discard their perishable items due to the lack of power.
Additionally, those who own generators face skyrocketing fuel prices, with the pump price exceeding N1,000 per liter. Many are forced to resort to the black market, where prices reach an outrageous N1,500 per liter.
The group lamented, “This kind of terrible situation has never happened in the history of this country, and perhaps even in other parts of the world. Where are we going in Nigeria?”