Ikorodu Residents Protest Eight-Month Blackout, Barricade Ikeja Electric Office

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Residents of three communities in the Ebute area of Ikorodu, Lagos, have staged a protest on over a total blackout that has lasted eight months. 

The protesters barricaded the Ikorodu Business District office of Ikeja Electric (IE), halting operations for several hours.

The affected areas—Waterfront Estate, Sekumade Estate, and the NBC Community—have been without power since August 2025. The crisis began when the only transformer serving the three estates developed a fault and was never replaced or repaired.

Protesters carried placards accusing the distribution company of insincerity and “paying lip service” to their plight. They noted that several meetings with officials, including a visit to the Alausa head office, yielded only unfulfilled promises.

The prolonged outage has severely impacted local businesses, artisans, and traders, many of whom say their means of livelihood have collapsed. Residents also lamented the high cost of fueling generators amid the economic hardship.

A senior official of Ikeja Electric addressed the crowd, explaining that the company currently has 300 faulty transformers in its workshop. He attributed the delay to the time-consuming procedures required for repairs and replacements.

The official promised to fast-track the process and provide a clear timeline for restoring electricity. A follow-up meeting with community representatives has been scheduled for March 5 to provide feedback on the resolution steps.