Residents of Omole Phase One Housing Estate staged a peaceful protest at the Ikeja Electric headquarters in Alausa, Lagos, on Wednesday, expressing their frustration over persistent power outages despite being charged high electricity tariffs.
The protesters condemned Ikeja Electric’s alleged lack of commitment to addressing their concerns, particularly the failure to meet the stipulated electricity supply hours for Band A customers. They described the situation as unjust, given the financial burden placed on residents without commensurate service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the estate, the Residents’ Association revealed that multiple letters had been sent to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, seeking intervention. However, they lamented that these efforts have yielded no response, leaving the residents to endure worsening power supply conditions.
“This situation is unacceptable. We have done everything within our power to bring attention to this issue, but it seems our pleas are being ignored,” said a representative of the Association during the protest.
In a bid to resolve the matter, the estate’s executive committee held a closed-door meeting with officials from Ikeja Electric. Following the meeting, the company assured the residents that the power supply issues would be resolved promptly.
Despite these assurances, the residents have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Ikeja Electric to take immediate action and restore reliable electricity to the estate. Failure to comply, they warned, could result in further actions to press their demands.
The situation underscores ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s power sector, where consumers often grapple with unreliable electricity supply despite paying high tariffs. Residents of Omole Phase One hope their protest will spur meaningful change.