As El Niño heat builds across Nigeria, millions of households are losing the one thing that helps them cool down: electricity.
In one recent grid failure, supply fell from 3,647 megawatts to 675 megawatts in a single hour as plants including Azura, Egbin, Jebba and Kainji went offline. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company warned customers of interruptions across its network.
Supply is short even on normal days. Power plants are receiving about 40 percent of the gas they need, Daily Trust reports. Lagos’s Band A areas, promised at least 20 hours of power a day, are getting less than 10. Some households in Maiduguri get five hours every two days.
Sleeping outside
In parts of Abuja, including Kpeyegi, Kurudu and Guzape, residents told Daily Trust they now sleep outside because their fans and air conditioners won’t run. Neighbors have reported dehydration and dizziness.
“I normally open my room’s windows and, at times, the door before I could sleep,” said Maiduguri resident Sunday Bitrus.
Why it’s dangerous
When nights stay hot, the body never gets a chance to recover from the day’s heat. Researchers at the Climate Impact Lab project that Nigeria could see 31,400 extra heat-related deaths between September 2026 and February 2027, more than any other country.
Lagos State has warned that children, older people, pregnant women and outdoor workers face the greatest risk.
Power cuts also reach clinics. A viral video in July showed staff at a primary health center delivering babies by phone torchlight, with only a small solar unit for power. Without steady electricity, keeping vaccines and medicines cold is harder too.
What to do when the power is off
- Drink water often, and use ORS if you’re sweating heavily
- Wet your skin or clothes and fan yourself
- Open windows at night for cross-ventilation, and rest in shade during the hottest hours
- Never run a generator indoors or near windows, because the fumes can kill
- Check on older neighbors, young children and anyone living alone
- Pregnant women should report swelling, dizziness, severe headache or reduced baby movement immediately
Heatstroke is an emergency. If someone is confused, faints, or has hot, dry skin, cool them with water and get them to a hospital.
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