By Atlantic Reports

Residents and business owners in Kubwa, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory, say a power outage lasting more than a week has destroyed food stocks, disrupted trading and increased household expenses.

Those interviewed on Sunday reported financial losses and criticised what they described as inadequate communication from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

Some business operators said their losses ran into millions of naira, although no documented breakdown was provided.

An AEDC official attributed the outage to a technical fault on the 330kV Shiroro–Katampe transmission line belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The official said the problem was being addressed but gave no restoration timetable.

Spoiled Stock and Loan Pressure

For food vendor Eniola Aderenle, the disruption meant losing perishable supplies purchased to support a month of business.

She said she usually bought food in bulk and refrigerated items that required cold storage, but the prolonged outage had caused them to spoil.

“I have lost a lot of money, this is very frustrating and annoying. It is even more painful that no reason has been given for the outage,” she said.

Frozen-food trader Kunle Babalola said his stock had also spoiled, leaving him facing repayment demands for a bank loan used to supply his shop.

“I am so sad, I have lost so much money. The bank I took a loan from to stock my shop is after me, what am I supposed to do,” he said.

Their accounts show how prolonged electricity disruptions can affect both business income and the ability to meet existing financial obligations.

Generator Costs Keep Businesses Under Pressure

Barber Tunde Aremu said he had continued operating with a generator despite the cost of petrol.

“Fuel is very expensive but I have no choice as I need to take care of my family, and other household expenses,” he said.

Aremu criticised the lack of information, saying advance notice, where possible, would help customers prepare alternative arrangements.

At home, Becky Umukoro, a mother of five, said food stored in her refrigerator had gone rotten. She described the outage as frustrating and disappointing.

Another resident, Isabella Osahon, urged the Federal Government to address electricity supply problems, questioning how plans for wider electric-vehicle use could work without dependable power.

Residents Robert Are, Dupe Ogbede and Elizabeth Okoro also called for urgent restoration.

Transmission Fault Cited, Restoration Date Unclear

The supplied account stated that calls and text messages to AEDC’s customer-care line went unanswered. It subsequently quoted a company official who linked the disruption to the Shiroro–Katampe transmission-line fault.

The official’s explanation was not accompanied by a detailed repair update, an estimated completion date or confirmation from TCN.

Residents’ complaints therefore extend beyond the loss of electricity to uncertainty about when supply will return. For traders dependent on refrigeration and households already replacing spoiled food, a clear restoration timetable remains a pressing concern.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.