Consumers in Kaduna have called for compensation following frequent power outages and the collapse of Nigeria’s national grid. At a recent three-day customer complaint summit hosted by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Kaduna, local residents and businesses expressed frustration over the severe impact of unreliable power supply.
Sanjeev Kumar, head of manufacturing at R.H. Plastics Limited, shared how his company lost N60 million in just 10 days during the October power grid failure. The company, a major consumer of electricity, uses over 500,000 kWh monthly, yet frequent outages and power fluctuations have caused production delays, quality issues, and unmet customer demands.
Kumar emphasized that the company’s reliance on generators is unsustainable due to high costs, and the lack of steady power supply has hindered their operations and profitability. He urged Kaduna Electric to address issues such as low voltage and unexpected outages to prevent further disruptions.
Some consumers, particularly those in the Band A category, complained that they were promised at least 20 hours of electricity per day but often received less than 16 hours, leading to business losses. They have called on the distribution companies (DisCos) to improve power delivery.
Aisha Mahmud, NERC’s Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, clarified that DisCos are not responsible for grid collapses and are not obligated to compensate consumers. However, NERC representatives assured attendees that customer complaints would be addressed during the summit, excluding those requiring technical visits.
Governor Uba Sani, through his representative, emphasized the need for better power supply to meet the demands of Kaduna’s residents and businesses. Meanwhile, Kaduna Electric’s Managing Director, Umar Abubakar, noted the importance of resolving customer complaints promptly.
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