Four states in Nigeria's North-East geopolitical zone remain in total darkness four days after the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) failed to meet its promised power restoration deadline.
Residents of Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, and Taraba states continue to face a widespread blackout despite YEDC's commitment to restore electricity by 5 pm on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Critical Infrastructure Upgrades Cited as Cause
In its last official communication, YEDC explained that the outage was necessary to allow the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to carry out essential upgrade works on the Jos–Gombe 330kV and Jos–Bauchi–Gombe 132kV transmission lines. The project reportedly includes installing new towers at the Bauchi 330kV station and rerouting an existing 132kV line.
However, the company has failed to provide any updates on why the restoration deadline was missed or when residents can expect power to return.
Economic Impact and Public Frustration
The prolonged blackout has paralyzed daily life and economic activities across the affected states. Residents who spoke with BenriNews expressed anger and disappointment over the persistent outage.
"This blackout has crippled my business completely. I run a small welding workshop and without electricity, I can't work at all. The cost of running a generator is eating into whatever little profit I make," said Ibrahim Musa, a welder in Yola.
Business owners reported a sharp increase in the cost of goods and services as they resort to alternative power sources. Many small enterprises have temporarily shut down operations, unable to bear the additional expenses of fuel for generators.
Calls for Government Intervention
Some residents in Taraba State have called for the replacement of YEDC with a more capable operator. They insist that the region deserves reliable electricity to support its development and livelihood.
"This is not the first time YEDC has failed us. We need the federal government to intervene urgently. How can an entire region be in darkness for so long?" questioned Aisha Bello, a resident of Jalingo.
Community leaders across the affected states are now mobilizing to petition relevant authorities, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Ministry of Power, for immediate intervention.
As of the time of this report, YEDC has not issued any new statement regarding when power might be restored to the affected areas.
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